With this desire to capture the memory of this establishment, I’ve reached out to 2 of my friends who worked there as waitresses. They have contributed to my story with memories of their own. Thank you, Mari, and Liisa.
Frank (Bimbo) and his brother Edward (Stan) owned and operated their restaurant on the main street, on the north end of the Village of Calumet. Their business was a simple layout. Their kitchen had only the necessary equipment to prepare their simple menu. A vent hood drew out the cooking aromas, a small gas stove was used for cooking the soups or chili, a small grill for the burgers, and a small fridge for dressings and the like. The equipment was old, probably from when they started the business in 1952. The kitchen was located in the back. The two brothers made do with what they had. This restaurant occupied the north half of their building while the south half had a large TV room with furniture to sit on. The large room probably was a business at one time. Voices echoed, the TV audio was pretty loud while those that frequented this room cheered for their hockey team or baseball team. Very few lights lit up the passage to this room while one walked on creaky wooden floors. I don’t remember which brother was an avid sports fan or was set up for patrons of this restaurant.
Entry into Skufca’s was up a couple of steps from the sidewalk into the recessed doorway. Grabbing the old metal handle on the door, pulling it open to a smoky environment mixed with the aroma of food, and letting the door slam behind you is a sound I’ll never forget. The heavy wooden door with a large window would close with a sound suggesting that its life was nearly done. The old-time metal seal on the bottom edge of the door would make a scraping sound, the latching door had its own peculiar sound. Each time it would open or close, heads turned to see who was coming or going. Sounds we hear, always bring us back in time to memories just like odors or smells do. On the left side of the business were booths along the wall. A countertop with chrome stools lined the opposite side of the room. Behind the counter was a cooler for pop, an old-time cash register, silverware, cups, napkins, a few amenities for sale, an electric clock on the wall, a lighted menu, and one row of ceiling lights illuminating the entire place. After many years of cigarette smoking in this place the brothers were not concerned about cleanliness, light fixtures, or any light-colored item on the walls like the plastic menu board, the old wallpaper, picture frames showing the layer of dust, and the yellowing of light-colored items. The calendar always looked fresh, each month that passed, was torn off, exposing a fresh white page against the yellowed backdrop. Numerous framed photos lined the walls of the many patrons who have frequented Skufca’s restaurant.
Many of us frequently came to this restaurant. It was our meeting/something to do place. The menu was pretty simple, and it didn’t take long to know, before you got there, what you wanted. If Bimbo made chili and he was working, then this was sought after. The flavor was out of this world with oyster crackers. This was eaten with a pint carton of milk. Of course, there’s coffee and sometimes fresh homemade pie for dessert. Bimbo’s chili lasted usually 2 days because he’d make a large pot of it. The brothers worked alternating days.