Is the Rumor True That Whistle Binkies in Rochester is Being Sold?
If you heard a rumor that Whistle Binkies in Rochester, Minnesota was being sold, you heard correctly. A heartfelt message was posted just a few hours ago on the Whistle Binkies Olde World Pub Facebook page that provided the community with a few more details.
A message to all of our friends at Whistle Binkies from Randy Lehman! ❤️
To all the friends of Whistle Binkies,
With great pleasure and excitement, we announced to our employees that we have an agreement to sell the two pubs to two ownership groups. Whistle Binkies Olde World Pub (north) will have new ownership of Pedro Leveron, Brandon Lusk, Danielle Stoos and Alfredo Rios. Whistle Binkies on the Lake (south) will have new ownership of Eric and Kelly Amundson. These new owners have many years of experience at Whistle Binkies and in the restaurant industry.
While being an owner of the pubs has brought me incredible joy the last 20 years we all felt it was time to give the new owners an opportunity and to bring some fresh ideas and new energy to the pubs. The new owners will keep the Whistle Binkies concept and transition will be as seamless as possible and retain the same staff. The tentative closing date is November 19th.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people that made this great run possible.
First of all I would like to thank my wife, my friend and my business partner Connie. Without out her Whistle Binkies would not exist. When the idea started it was beyond her comfort zone but she worked through that and made sure the bills and payroll was paid and we were profitable from day one.
I would also like to thank my partners. Craig Kangas, Mike Byers and Lee Christianson. After 20 years we are still partners that work together well but even more amazing we are still friends.
Of course, a giant thank you to the incredible cast of characters that have worked at Whistle Binkies the last 20 years. You have given Whistle Binkies its personality and are the reason our customers keep returning. You have kept me young and entertained. I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and dedication.
Then a huge thank you to all our amazing family, friends and customers that have stood by us all these years. Thank you for making Whistle Binkies a success and also for all your help of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for NAMI that changed many lives.
I have been asked what I intend to do after the sale. I will be staying to help with the transition as long as they need me and do my best to stay out of their way. After that I plan on spending summers working in my garden, raising chickens (it been over 20 years since I have had chickens) and spending some more time at the cabin. Then doing some traveling the rest of the year and of course spending plenty of time as a Whistle Binkies customer.
Thanks again for everything.
Randy
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Rochester Restaurants from A to Z
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