Final state fair season for Epiphany Diner
by Bethany Kemming
Staff Intern
After 45 years of serving hot, filling meals, the Epiphany Diner will close its doors at the end of the 2011 Minnesota State Fair for the last time.
The outside of the Epiphany Diner in 2008 after it was remodeled. Photo courtesy of Jean Mackey
A decrease in revenue coupled with a need for expensive repairs and replacements were major factors in the decision, according to parishioner Sue Lewis of Church of the Epiphany, Coon Rapids.
“Like a lot of families out there, we need to prioritize. We have some repairs at home that need to be done, a school to be kept up,” Lewis said. The Epiphany Church Parish Council and Epiphany State Fair Diner Committee have been evaluating the problem since 2007 and discussing whether the diner should be kept in business.
Epiphany remodeled the diner in 2008 and modified the menu in an effort to increase profits.
Parishioners met again in 2010 to discuss the diner.
Several parishioners also met with Minnesota State Fair Food Concessions Manager Dennis Larson to discuss available options.
Lewis said Epiphany does not expect the financial intake is going to get much better and has chosen to invest in the church rather than the diner. The diner brought in a net profit of $29,646 in 2010 and the profit was projected to decrease to $24,484 by 2013.
In a letter to the congregation, Rev. Dennis Zehren asked parishioners for their input.
Lewis said the majority were in favor of closing the diner after one last season.
“It’s hard and I think everybody feels bad, but they saw the amount of money we make is so small. It’s less than 1 percent of our total budget,” Lewis said.
In recent years, Epiphany has made more “to-go” modifications to the menu, including “walking tacos” in a bag and sandwich wraps.
Lewis said the modifications were limited, however, because of the State Fair’s limits on what a business can serve.
“We suspect that people are not going to want to sit down in the diner for a big heavy meal. They’re more likely to take something on a stick and go. Mashed potatoes on a stick don’t work very well,” Lewis said.
The number of fair goers at the diner has gone down in recent years. The first year Epiphany started keeping a record, 1968, it served over 19,000 fair goers. In 1993, the diner served over 33,000, a record high. In 2010, only 10,000 fair goers ate at the diner.
Many parishioners have volunteered at the diner and are sad to see it close.
“Everybody probably has their own favorite memory, a lot of them just about getting to know people. It forced you out of your normal place in church, and you got to see other people you would only see in Sunday Mass,” Lewis said.
Her family has been volunteering at the diner for the past 15 years, according to Lewis.
At least 100 volunteers were needed to manage the diner in 1988, but Lewis said Epiphany has been able to decrease the number of volunteers needed with changes in equipment and help from the youth of the church.
Only 70 volunteers are currently required, although more are necessary for setting up and taking down equipment, she said.
The Church of the Epiphany acquired the diner from the Church of St. Joseph in 1966 and started serving meals on Aug. 10, 1966. A full dinner cost $1.35 in 1967, pie was an additional 20 cents.
Since opening, the diner has offered a hot breakfast, lunch and dinner to fair goers every year.
A fire that burned down the diner on Aug. 29 cut the 1990 season short, but the diner was rebuilt in time for the 1991 State Fair.
Bethany Kemming is at bethany.kemming@ecm-inc.com
