Normally (if there is a
“normal” for Taking the Plunge), an individual is interviewed. Renaissance
is not an individual but a place, a café actually that offers great coffees and
teas and therapeutic massages.
I
was drawn to Renaissance because it’s one of the few places in town that brews
loose leaf tea and when I requested a black blend to match my favorite Irish
tea, the staff filled my request and created the newly named “Redshaw Blend". Renaissance may not bring the notoriety of a star-named Pastrami on Rye from the Carnegie
Deli, but it inclusion on the menu sparks great affection from this frequent visitor.
There are many people involved with Renaissance; however, the heart
and soul of this endeavor overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca is embodied by
the owner, Lynn Keenan. Challenged to answer questions as a “place”, I think she has
risen to the occasion.
R2: 1. Who are you? List 5 nouns
that define you!
Lynn’s answers go far beyond the “5” nouns! I derived the following “5” from her descriptive list.
Café-Massage-Business-Staff- View
Lynn Keenan: Just 5 nouns!? Impossible!
Renaissance is too magical, too complex, too much for 5 little
nouns! Basically, Renaissance is an
embarrassment of riches.
• 100 Mile Café
• Center for Massage—with an
impressive staff of experienced massage therapists!
• Triple Bottom Line Business
• Tightly-knit staff that is
sharing that affection and respect with customers and clients
• Killer View
R2: What have you done that you’re
most proud of?
LK: In
the café we’ve developed a creative menu that offers food produced within the
100 miles surrounding Port Angeles. Approximately 90% of what goes
into our meals grows or is made right here in our area.
To us
that means we’re reinvesting in the local economy—a pivotal reason for our
being: to strengthen our local community, as well as the people, who come to
Renaissance. Most importantly, the food – the beers, the veggies and fruits,
the cheeses, the breads, the bacon, the fish, all taste fantastic! As one
customer said, “We’ve a freakin’ luscious cornucopia here!”
I’m proud
of this because the challenge to stay local was brought by a staff member who
cares deeply about the local foods movement and sustainable communities. She
showed us how the local foods movement is a vital aspect of community building
and community development and we’ve worked hard to operationalize our values
around this. I get a charge, a deep satisfaction, really, from walking the talk. And here, we’re
strong.
R2: If you could change one thing
in your past, what would it be?
LK: Every
now and then I ask myself this question because it’s been a formidable
challenge to start and maintain a new business during the Recession. Nothing,
NOTHING I’ve done in the past has come close to demanding the creativity,
perseverance, or sacrifice. Along the way, especially as I’ve watched countless
businesses in our little town close, I’ve asked myself if I would begin
Renaissance knowing what I know now.
Try as I
might, though, I can’t imagine life without Renaissance, without the brilliance
of the relationships here, the service provided, the good work, the healing and
vibrant health expanded, and the good will created and passed along.
Though
there have certainly been days when I’ve longed to return to being someone
else’s employee, being a job creator during the Recession has been a rush.
Though
I’ve missed, no… yearned for, the paychecks I used to take for granted, the
steady, slow retiring of all of Renaissance’s start-up (and stay alive) debt,
and finally, in Year #7, being able to pay myself for my own massage work here
is a feeling that is unparalleled. In retrospect, I wouldn’t have things any
other way.
R2: On a personal/client level,
what drives you crazy? What gives you joy?
LK: Hmmmm,
so far I don’t think a client/customer has come into Renaissance that has
driven any of us crazy. We have something of an organizational culture of
positive regard. Maybe people sense that and don’t have to act crazy? Once a raccoon tried to come in through the
back door, but that’s about as repugnant a guest as we’ve had, and even she was
cute.
One of
the balances that we have to deal with at Renaissance is co-location of a
massage center and a café. We often worry that the café is too loud for
massage. But one day early on in the growth of the café I was providing a
massage when a loud burst of laughter came from a group lunching together and
rolled through the café into the massage room. I was worried that my client
would be disturbed by the noise, but before I could apologize, the client said,
“Isn’t that one of the most beautiful sounds in the world? Thanks for arranging
the “joy” therapy along with the massage, Lynn”.
Since
then, I’ve heard similar stories from other massage therapists on staff. I know
we may lose some possible business because our massage rooms don’t completely
restrict the sound from the café but even so, I agree with my client—there’s
nothing like the sound of laughter and conversation shared among friends.
R2: Given no restrictions (i.e.
money/physical capabilities) –
what would you most like to do?
LK: Easy.
We’d build up to our 3 story limit, giving us more room for yoga and other
classes and events that would benefit from this fantastic view and warm, competent
staff. Not to mention a water outlook office for the owner!
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Renaissance on Facebook
Owner Lynn Keenan with Christian Miller.
Overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca
