A recipe for success: ‘Foodie’ friends open the Mill in Millbrook
After toying with the idea for years, four business owners join forces to bring the community a fresh food spot, using locally sourced ingredients. It’s already a smash hit with customers
What do you get when you mix a mechanic, dental assistant, general contractor, a cleaning business owner and a shared passion for food?
A recipe for Millbrook’s newest restaurant — the Mill.
Operating as a unique breakfast and lunch spot, the Mill opened its doors for the first time last Monday as part of a soft launch — the culmination of months of renovations that began last fall.
And it was all born out of a running joke between four friends — now co-owners of the recentlyopened restaurant located at 11 Tupper St.
“For the last couple of years, my husband and I and another couple have gotten together once a week to have a meal together,” said Yolanda Watson, co-owner of the Mill, who also runs Divine Cleaning Services.
When food wasn’t on the table, it was still on the foursome’s collective minds.
“The joke was always, ‘let’s get a food truck, let’s get a food truck,’ ” recalled Watson.
After toying with the idea for years while breaking bread together, the group’s shared joke became a reality when the Tupper Street location became available for rent. But they took their dream one step further, opting to take the leap and rent their very own brick and mortar space instead of a food truck.
The four — Watson, along with her general contractor husband Josh Watson; Matthew Howard, owner of Matt’s Automotive; and dental assistant Carrie Doorenspleet — were all in.
“We just decided we’re going to try a restaurant. Let’s go,” said Watson.
They rented out the spot in October.
The group of like-minded food enthusiasts and entrepreneurs quickly got to work, renovating while juggling their respective businesses. The space was cleaned up and updated, and eight staffers were hired.
In crafting breakfast and lunch menus — the Mill is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week — Watson and her partners put their heads together to offer a mix of traditional staples and innovative options.
The Mill’s breakfast menu of “traditional fare” offers omelettes, french toast and pancakes, sandwiches and more.
For lunch, patrons can have their pick from a wide variety of midday delicacies, from sides including poutine, and main course meals like the Mill’s smash burgers — already a smash hit with customers — and fresh-cut fries prepared inhouse.
“Right now, we’re trying to get our entire team comfortable with our menu and then the guys will be curating features, such as a pulled pork sandwich,” Watson explained.
Importantly for Watson, the bulk of the Mill’s fresh meals are made using locally-used ingredients.
Beef is brought in from Keenebased Cleary Ranch Cattle and Co.; Millbrook’s very own Red Mill Maple Syrup supplies maple syrup; and cheese comes from Empire Diary, according to Watson.
Since opening, there’s been a steady flow of patrons filling the Mill, which seats 20. They’re “impressed” by the spot’s modern makeover and the “amazing food,” said Watson.
Watson, a Millbrook resident herself, also attributes the booming business to the Mill’s hours of operation. Unlike almost all other stores and restaurants in Millbrook, the new restaurant is open on Monday — filling a void for community members looking to grab a coffee or bite to eat to start off the week.
Watson credits the community with helping the Mill get off to a successful start. Relying almost solely on social media to market the restaurant’s opening, her online posts have been shared by excited locals — translating to a packed house during breakfast and lunch hours.
“It’s been our entire community that’s pushed this. People are posting reviews, posting pictures. That’s been an amazing part of this,” reflected Watson.
Watson and her fellow owners have big plans for the future. Aside from adding specialty items to the menu, they hope to build a patio and are looking at getting the restaurant licensed. A grand opening is set to take place within the next six weeks.