thursday, november 8, 1979
Young and old attracted to Greenwich Cafe
daily nebraskan
By Diane Andersen
You wouldn't even notice the faded blue and red sign
unless you were looking for it. And the orange neon
letters in the window proclaiming -FRIED CHICKEN"
are all but lost amid the bright flashiness of the downtown
night.
But once you enter the Greenwich Cafe, 1917 0 St., all
the quietness of its facade disappears. The old-timers and
young college kids alike laugh and talk, as they have night
after night in one of Lincoln's oldest bar and grills.
"We've always had good people," said Mildred Weiler,
64. "It's like a family."
She and her husband, Francis, 62, took over the
Greenwich Cafe about 10 years ago from his father,
Francis Weiler Sr, Actually, Mrs. Weiler has worked there
since 1939, when she started being a waitress for what she
thought would be only a week, just to help out Francis Jr.
and his parents.
"And here I am," she said.
Mrs, Weiler said she manages the Greenwich Cafe from
the time it opens, 10 a.m., until midnight, Monday
Krounh Saturday. Her husband, who is blind because of
glaucoma, used to run the restaurant and cut all the meat,
she said.
"He knows everybody in town," Mrs. Weiler said, add
ing that her husband enjoys visits from his friends, but
doesn't get out much anymore.
"I don't work too hard," Mrs. Weiler insisted. "I take
care of myself."
IT'S EASY to believe her claims, watching her yell
the
great
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amencani
smokeouti
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greetings to all her favorite customers, while at the same
time keeping an eye on all the tables, kitchen, waitresses
and bartenders. ,
."Some of the people that work here have been around
for over 25 years," she said.
The Greenwich Cafe used to be the only place in Lin
coln that served food and beer, before all the bars began
serving liquor by the drink, said Mrs. Weiler.
She said the Greenwich houses more meat-cutting
equipment than most butcher shops. In the 1930s, their
menu boasted oyster stew for 20 cents a bowl, a chicken
dinner for 35 cents, chili for 15 cents. T-bone steaks were
50 cents each.
Today the regulars come in for the popular fish and
chips, which Mrs. Weiler said have been served for about
seven years.
"We use good grease," she noted. "All that counts."
Some UNL professors were experimenting with some
of the cafe's cooking equipment when they suggested she
start serving fish and chips, Mrs. Weiler said. She heeded
their advice and placed an advertisement in the Daily Ne
braskan. - -
Ever since, they have been the restaurant's most popu
lar dish, Mrs. Weiler said.
"PEOPLE ARE fish-conscious now," she said, noting
that lines for the batter-fried fish used to run down the
block on Friday nights.
"If I was smart, I'd put out a big sign (advertising fish
and chips)," she said. "But I'm too old for that sort of
thing."
Mildred Weiler is a thin, wrinkled woman with a lively
voice and a mind of her own.
If drunks get rowdy in the Greenwich Cafe, she just
"shoos them out" and holds the door behind them. But
she insisted she enjoys most of her customers.
. "When you work in a restaurant this long, you meet
really nice people," she said.
"We've had a good life, though-really," she said. "Lin
coln's been good to us." . v
Mrs. Weiler said she feels too many people put off their
dreams until after retirement, then can't follow through
with them when they are old or lack energy and good
health.
"I thank God every day that we're here (at the Green
wich Cafe)," she said.
The beer glasses clink the customers laugh and talk.
The Greenwich Cafe couldn't go on in this special way
without Mildred Weiler. Nor, by her own admission, could
she continue without the Greenwich; -
mihi
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Mrs. Weiler was born in Clay Center. She has.been a
Nebraskan all her life, and now lives at 5920 Sumner St.
with her husband, whom she calls "Francie."
He was born and reared in Lincoln. His grandfather
owned a packing house across from the bus depot on 10th
' Street, according to Mrs. Weiler. She said Francie stopped
attending NU about 1940 and has been working at the
Greenwich Cafe ever since. -
They were married in 1945. The Weilers have no child
ren, although Mrs. Weiler said she likes kids.
SHE EXPLAINED that her husband's sister looks .after
him during the day. The Weilers don't go out much any
more, she said. '
"You should have fun while you're young, she added
emphatically. ,
Mrs. Weiler said she went out drinking and dancing
often in her younger days.
"You have to make your own excitement," she said.
Mrs. Weiler said many of.the prices at the Greenwich
Cafe have been too low and may have to be raised soon.
The cafe itself is small and narrow. Wooden booths and
the bar fill the front room. The "red room, in the back, is
open on Friday nights and is available for large parties
with advance reservations. The Weilers have on offsale
shop to the east of the restaurant. t
"Everybody likes Francie," Mrs. Weiler said. "He's
friendly. I'm all right in my way, but I'm kind of differ
ent.". After 39 years at the Greenwich Cafe, she insists she is
happy working there every day.
"I just love it. Don't you?" she said.
In fact, her only complaints concern her husband's
" blindness. Mrs. Weiler said the doctors didn't treat his dia
betes soon enough, and subsequent laser treatments failed
to help him.
Grand Island bank
donates $40,000
GRAND ISLAND-The First National Bank of Grand
Island announced m recently that its board of directors
'has made a pledge" of $40,000 to the University of Ne
braska Foundation "for the greast needs facing the
University."
The gift is in response to the Nebraska Bankers As
sociation's support of the NU Foundation's $25 mil
lion capital gifts campaign.
In making the announcement, the board stated that in
accordance with the Bankers Association program, the in
come will be distributed annually by a Special Advisory
Committee, composed of Banking and University officials.
Grants will be based upon requests submitted by the
University Campuses. . .
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