Read on Twitter
@aliciakeys @Verizon @WaldmannBrewery could use some help! Here’s our story:
In 2008 my dad bought an old house down the street from us to save it from being demolished. But Little did we know it was more than an old house....
In 2008 my dad bought an old house down the street from us to save it from being demolished. But Little did we know it was more than an old house....
I spent every summer for the next nine years with my dad over there: doing archaeology, going to the history center to do research, looking through old records, trying to find what this place used to be.
My dad would help me with homework and we’d do projects together... fixing up an old clock, woodworking, or just sitting and talking in the light of the fire there. (There was no electricity in the building)
I learned how to analyze old windows, the difference between a Greek revival and a Victorian. I learned how to date doorknobs, marbles, old bottles. All from my dad and his old building
For a decade, my Dad would go to his law job for ten hours, come home, and go to his passion job: Waldmann. He discovered that it was owned by a man named Anton Waldmann, a German immigrant like my dads great grandfather. It was built by Jacob Amos,
a local stone mason. The building dated to 1857, making it the *oldest* commercial building in the city of Saint Paul. Originally it had been a German saloon, so we lovingly called it the stone saloon. But the kicker, the real validation came last: @aliciakeys
This is a picture of my dad holding up an old stencil reading “Waldmann” this stencil was used when beer barrels were being branded for sale. It proved what my dad’s research for a decade had been saying!!! @aliciakeys @Verizon
The building’s facade was repaired and reverted back to its original look. My dad had bought probably over 50 chairs from the 1850s. Our garage was filled with his collectible, original whale oil lamps, from the 1850s. In my dad’s mind, there was nothing else @aliciakeys
To do with this place. He was making it into what it had been over 150 years ago. A German lager beer saloon. @aliciakeys @Verizon
Waldmann opened in 2017 after nearly a decade of careful research, excavation, and work. Everyone in the neighborhood asked us for years, “when are you gonna open?” “Why’d it take you so long” @aliciakeys @Verizon
Well the answer is this: it took so long because it had to be authentic, 100%. It took handcrafted work, it took hours looking through glass windows in antique shops to see which ones were old enough to be salvaged for the project. @aliciakeys @Verizon
most customers that come in are blown away— they’ve never seen anything like it before. We’ve even had films use it as a shooting location because “there just wasn’t anywhere else as authentic as Waldmann” @aliciakeys @verizon
My dad still worked full time as a lawyer. And to this day, he still spends half his day working as a lawyer! And the other half as a restaurant owner, tour guide, and stand in server. @aliciakeys @Verizon
Since Corona, you’d think he had more time. But no— since corona, he’s been working double time, fighting to keep his dream, his work, alive. He personally delivers food and beer (with proper social distancing and safety of course) @aliciakeys
He’s set up a fund to support his employees— every 10% from gift card sales goes to them. He said one of the hardest things he ever had to do was lay them off. If I call him at 10pm, he’s still there, working. Not having eaten dinner even. @aliciakeys @verizon
No one I know has worked so hard for something the way my Dad has worked for Waldmann Brewery. And now he’s working even harder to keep from losing it all. @aliciakeys @Verizon
