N E W S

(Café owners featured in Southern Tier Women in Business)

   In October 1994, Marie McKenna, Elizabeth Hughes, and Carla Bruce along with Ravi Prakash opened a small eatery on Main Street in Binghamton called The Lost Dog Café/Coffeehouse. Scraping together what little money they could and buying second-hand equipment at auctions they began a venture that has evolved into a downtown hot spot.

   The owners became veterans of the restaurant business initially by default. Hughes and McKenna were musical bandmates trying to make their mark on the New York City music scene. "Liz cooked at various restaurants in New York City's East Village and I would waitress. The restaurant business provided us the freedom to do what we really wanted to do, which was play music". said McKenna. After 12 years in NYC, McKenna and Hughes decided to move back to Binghamton. Knowing that they couldn't survive in Binghamton without some of the atmosphere NYC provided, they decided to create their own. "When we discussed opening a café we thought of all the great places we liked in the City. We wanted to serve what we like to eat in the type of atmosphere we enjoyed". said Hughes. McKenna and Hughes met Bruce, a native New Yorker, through a mutual friend. Hughes's own wandering chihuahua, Clarese, served as the inspiration in naming the restaurant.

   The first location initially caught on with students in the area and achieved a reputation for serving good coffee, fine food, in a fun atmosphere. "Liz and Carla did everything. Liz cooked and Carla waited tables. The cafe was very different from what people here were used to; we were concerned people wouldn't like it" said McKenna. "We were pleasantly surprised by its success."

   Another surprise was the move to the bigger location on Water Street. Local businessman, Adam Weitsman, approached the owners about moving the café into a building he had purchased in Downtown Binghamton. Many people tried to dissuade the owners from such a risky move. "No one considered Downtown Binghamton to be a viable location for a restaurant. Having seen the effects, both positive as well as negative, of gentrification in Manhattan's East Village, we knew it was important to take the chance. Obviously we made the right decision -- look what has happened in Downtown since our move. We are very happy we took the risk." Said Hughes. The move has been all good. Walk in any time of the day and witness an eclectic mix of students, business people, families, first dates, and people hanging out at the bar drinking coffee and reading. "This is exactly what we were looking to create; a place where everyone felt comfortable and welcomed". said Hughes. The growth has exceeded all expectations and the staff has increased from 10 to 40 people. The increase in business has not translated into an increase in tension. "Our main goal is to enjoy ourselves. We want our customers and staff to enjoy the cafe. If everyone involved is happy, then so are we" noted Hughes. Marie, Liz, and Carla have divided the responsibilities between themselves with the growth of the business. For the most part, Carla manages the staff, Liz deals with the financial management of the cafe, and Marie supervises the catering and handles Goddess, their gift store, which is up a few stairs inside the café. All contribute to the day to day operations of the café.

   With their success exceeding expectations, the Lost Dog owners have taken their winning formula on the road. They are in the process of opening another Lost Dog in Ithaca, New York and are considering other locations.

   McKenna promises that they will also stay on top of trends in cuisine from the many restaurants they visit while traveling. "We're always looking for new adventures".

   "It's hard to believe that it has come this far."

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