News

Mainstay opens Dandelion Cafe

Tanya Blackford, left, and U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows and his wife, Debbie, share restaurant experiences about the Dandelion Cafe.

By Bill Moss, Published: May 22, 2013

A dandelion grows under adverse conditions.

That's one reason that Mainstay, the shelter for women, named its new café for the sturdy wildflower. The café will be staffed by women making a new start.
"We're going to train them to re-enter or enter the workforce, in front of the house or back of the house," said Dandelion manager Robyn Painter, referring to serving and kitchen jobs. "We're also going to be teaching classes here."
In a collaboration with BRCC, the workers will be able to obtain a ServeSafe certification. The café is also working with local bakeries, farms and produce stands to buy local goods as much as possible.
Painter worked as a cook at Café Laurie in Hendersonville then was director of nutrition services at a hospital. When she started talking to Mainstay director Tanya Blackford about the possibility of a café, the idea took off. She now has the lofty title of director of eatery and career services.
U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows recently toured Mainstay and the café, which opened this week. He sampled a fresh-baked cookie and pronounced it delicious. The café reminded him, he said, of the sandwich shop that he and his wife, Debbie, opened in Cashiers.
"Our very first restaurant was very similar to this," he said. "I was the bottlewasher. I did the books, I did the ordering, I made the sandwiches. Debbie took the orders. I'm with you. My hat's off to you."
Blackford said she did not see the non-profit organization competing with free enterprise.
"We don't want to compete," she said. "We want to help them. We have great plans to work with our local bakery, the cupcake place down the street" and other local suppliers.
"As we look at this," Meadows said, "it's not just a grand opening, it's a new beginning. It's about trying to make sure we break the cycle and stop the damage of people being in a cycle they can't break out of."
Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Dandelion will serve breakfast fare including oatmeal and grits with numerous toppings, fresh fruit and yogurt, muffins and Joey's Bagels. Lunch items include burritos, wraps, sandwiches, soup and salads. It's at 127 Fifth Avenue West.
Mainstay operates the downtown shelter for women and children that includes 35 beds and several cribs. It also provides counseling for women and children, case management, support groups, court advocacy, and anger management classes.