‘Advancing a mission’
is reason to serve, say
Women on Boards panelists
info@womenonboards.com; www.womenonboards.com
Famous Dave’s founder
shares highs and lows with
Minnesota Entrepreneurs
Dave Anderson recalls getting his first check for $735 plus change, from a florist who gave him an advance on an order for plants imported from Florida.
“I’ve been through the tough times, when you didn’t pay the FICA tax, and you didn’t pay the IRS — oh, now my accountants are looking at me,” he told a sellout crowd at Minnesota Entrepreneurs’ annual Entrepreneur of the Year event, in December.
Today his restaurant chain, Famous Dave’s, has more than 140 stores. “My life has been about dreams,” he said, but he recalled the terrible times, too, like when his wife staged an intervention to get him to stop drinking.
“We could have lost Famous Dave’s in those early days if I hadn’t gotten sober,” Anderson said. He recalled being “face down on the floor in Hazelden” rehabilitation facility, “asking God to end” the pain.
Much happier days are here. “I know what it’s like to go to your wife for her jewelry to take it to the pawn shop,” he said, gesturing to his wife in the audience. He waited a few beats. “You should see what she wears today, though,” he said, to roars from the audience.
Anderson said they were almost finished raising $137 million for Key Lime Cove, his new water park and theme restaurant venue in suburban Chicago. “How many people would have loved to be my partner when we started Famous Dave’s,” he said. “Come see me if you want to get in on Key Lime Cove.”
He referred to his accounting and investment firm, Virchow Krause, in the crowd, surmising that they wouldn’t want him to say such things. Sure enough, Virchow’s Michael Fitzpatrick shot the Informer an e-mail after the event, doing damage control to be sure Upsize knew Anderson wasn’t really soliciting investors from the floor.
Try to make it to: Minnesota Entrepreneurs meets the first Tuesday of each month; last year was the organization’s 25th: www.mn-entrepreneurs.org
Lorie Line adds new
vocalist to lineup at
16th holiday show
Fans of Lorie Line’s annual holiday show wondered how the Wayzata pianist and performer would replace Robert Robinson, the famed Twin Cities gospel singer who did not sign a contract to tour with Line in 2006 after 15 years of doing so.
She answered with Kelly Smith, an operatic soprano who studied at The Boston Conservatory. Smith’s vibe was different — operatic instead of gospel — and glorious, as Line rolled out her “2006 Holiday Extravaganza” with the theme “Traditions of Christmas.”
Before the Dec. 9 show at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, Tim and Lorie Line hosted VIP guests at Solera restaurant for a swanky party with a direct line of sight into the new Chambers Hotel across the street. (Note to woman putting on her makeup: You may want to close the curtains next time.)
Rick and Leslie Kupcella were there with their two daughters; he’s a long-time reporter and anchor with KARE-11 TV, she’s a PR person with Marilyn Carlson Nelson at the Carlson Cos. Inc. Gov. Arne Carlson was there, too.
Also new for Line is a redone Web site with e-commerce features, such as Line-Tunes (a play on iTunes), with a library of 99 cent Lorie Line songs, and sheet music for $3.95 each song. There was even a free photo to download of the annual kids-onstage portion of the show, dressed in nativity costumes.
Try to make it to: The Lines are looking for new cities for their 2007 spring and summer tour, to expand to new locales. E-mail Tim Line, tim@lorieline.com, the program says. Lorie Line Music Inc.: 952.474.1000; www.lorieline.com
Celebrity portrait is
new fund-raiser for
Bloomington Civic Theatre
A VIP portrait unveiling Nov. 30 marked a new entry in fund-raising ideas for the Bloomington Civic Theatre.
The board commissioned Anthony R. Whelihan of the Twin Cities to paint a portrait of Sally Struthers, a frequent BCT performer and friend. Whelihan, known for his celebrity portraits, creates a pin version of the portrait that serves as a raffle ticket, and the BCT sold about 75 of those.
On opening night of Love Letters, Dec. 29, starring Struthers and John Command, a drawing was to be held for the winning ticket holder, and five artists’ proofs were to be auctioned off.
“It’s a whole program that we’re trying to get off the ground,” said Cory Johnson, BCT board member who works at Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi law firm in Minneapolis. “It’s the goal to have a stronger development piece.”
Depending on the success of this first effort, the BCT may make it an annual fund-raising event.
Try to make it to: Bloomington Civic Theatre stages Command Performance Feb. 2-25, with highlights from hit BCT shows, and Funny Girl April 27-May 20: 952.563.8575; www.bloomingtoncivictheatre.org
