At the time, she had a lease in Albert Lea and had actually been proposed a very long-term lease. However, she closed that restaurant and looked around for another decent restaurant in the area.
Soon after, Bernie Anderson of New Richland called her and told her there was a restaurant for sale. Since that day, Solland has enjoyed working in New Richland. She says she likes getting to know everyone and seeing familiar faces every day.
“Sometimes it’s a struggle to keep it open, but without a patronage of the community Blondie’s wouldn’t open,” she said.
Solland has a lot of help, especially from her permanent cook, Angie Hoffman.
“While I make the recipes, Angie is the one that makes everything taste so good,” said Solland of her cook of two years.
Blondie’s also has an early morning crowd Monday through Saturday. The men show up sometimes as early as 5:30 a.m., before Solland herself is even there. They open up the restaurant, turn on the lights and start the first coffee of the morning.
Solland said the crowd will get bigger when and harvesting is done for the year and get smaller once the holidays are over and some residents will head south for the winter.
Blondie’s also caters for a lot of different. They have been catering different Waseca Historical Society events in the three years they have been open and they will also do graduations, birthday parties, and funerals. People can even rent out Blondie’s for events such as Christmas parties and bridal showers. Solland says that she enjoys doing this portion of the business as much as owning the restaurant.
