MONROE — Just a little more than a block from the Square is Monroe’s newest family-run establishment: Mad Charlie’s Café.

Nestled on 15th Avenue behind the library, the eatery takes over a building that was once a funeral home and later a bicycle shop. The café is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

After a renovation, the building now boasts warm color tones of yellow and red with a variety of décor, tables and chairs throughout. There are several different rooms for guests to sit down and relax while enjoying a cup of coffee with any number of items off the menu. There’s even a playroom for kids.

“We feel welcomed. We’ve loved meeting the people of Monroe, they have been really accepting,” said Debbie George, who started the business with her two daughters, Annie and Molly George.

Debbie raised her daughters just outside of Chicago, and when grown, her children moved far away from home.

“Eventually we decided we wanted to be in the same place,” Debbie said.

Annie, a chef for 20 years, most recently was working in Portland, Oregon, and has experience at multiple restaurants in the Chicago area. Molly had moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and taught herself how to bake. 

“(Annie) is a very seasoned chef. Myself, I’m a self-taught baker and a seasoned barista,” Molly said. “My mom works the register, greets our guests and talks a lot.”

The trio had discussed going into business together years earlier, and the stars seemed to line up. 

“We were renting and decided that we wanted our own place,” Debbie said. “We bought the building and now live upstairs.”

Menu items

Mad Charlie’s Café offers a wide selection of items to choose from. Many items are on a rotation, including pizzas by the slice, quiche and the soup of the day. There are six varieties of pasties, including a vegan option. 

“All of our meats come from the Riemer Family Farm outside of Brodhead,” Molly said. “We try to get as many of our products locally as possible, and organic things as much as possible, too. 

“We don’t use any dyes, preservatives or artificial sugars. My coffee is locally roasted, fair trade organic — teas, too,” Molly said. “That’s how we eat, and we wanted to bring our own foods and have our own niche.”

There are more than a dozen beverages; from straight coffee to espressos, cappuccinos, tea lattes, Italian sodas and smoothies, and all in a variety of sizes. Added shots of flavor — or caffeine — are also available, as is almond milk and other assorted drinks in the cooler.

Baked goods include homemade cheesecakes, croissants and macaroons.

Kids corner

Charlotte Rogers, Molly’s 7-year-old daughter, has her own room in the café that is set aside for children. Carpets with city landscapes allow for Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars to take leisurely drives. Chalk boards beg the children to get creative and leave behind messages or pictures, and a box of toys is all but ready to be played with.

“Eventually we’ll have games, coloring and other toys,” said Molly, “but for right now we’re waiting on that.”

Molly said Charlotte, who attends Parkside Elementary in Monroe, is in charge of the room. “She takes it seriously.”

Naming the cat

The restaurant logo features a wryly-looking feline with the café’s name in the middle. Is the name and logo an ode to Alice in Wonderland by mixing together the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat? No.

Mad Charlie’s Café didn’t come about as organically as other restaurant names have been, but its origin is simply enough.

The word Mad is broken down into the singular letters M-A-D, which are the first letter of the names for Molly, Annie and Debbie. The first four letters of Charlie are the same as young Charlotte. Presto.

‘Living the dream’

The upstairs portion of the building is now living quarters, while the main portion is used for the restaurant. The renovations included making the restrooms larger and accessible to the disabled, and adding the kitchen, amongst other changes.

“We had a painting party and put up a couple of walls. We hope to do more in the future,” Molly said.

Mad Charlie’s Café was set to open in April, with just one final inspection scheduled, but then the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shut down of the state by Governor Tony Evers’ office changed the plans. 

“The inspector couldn’t come out; that had to get postponed until the last week in May,” Molly said.

On June 2, the café officially opened.

“I’ve had this dream for a long time — working with my sister,” Molly said. “I’m just living the dream.”