j u s t o u t ▼ July 3 . 1 9 9 7 T 13
ev ery b o d y
talks about
financial
Instant cafe
s e c u r i t y . ..
Financial planning is a long-term
,
client-advisor relationship built upon
With a clever line and a Ulysses S. Grant
you can win yourself a ready-made restaurant
T
ing to you. I can understand your in
by Inga Sorensen
dividual needs, concerns and goals.
eeling crafty? Got 50 bucks? Looking
for an interesting career? How about a
new life?
F
two-way communication. By listen
A desire which seems to be his nature. Lowe
has vowed to donate at least $5,000 from his entry
fees to Project Open Hand, a San Francisco group
that prepares and delivers food to people with
HIV and AIDS. Since April 1996, Korso Cafe has
made as many as four donations each month to
supplement Project Open Hand’s nutritional ser
vices.
If you find yourself nodding affir
matively, you may want to consider
Robert Lowe’s invite.
Lowe, the owner of San Francisco’s Korso
Cafe, says he’s ready to reward a little ingenuity
ccording to Lowe, Korso Cafe draws a
in a big way.
large queer clientele.
He’s launched the Korso Cafe Dream Restau
“Not that that’s hard in San Francisco,”
rant Contest. The winner receives, well, the Korso
he laughs, “but I think we do get even more gay
Cafe. All it takes is $50 and a clever essay outlin
and lesbian people here because of our location.”
ing a nifty concept for what the South of Market
Situated at Bryant between Ninth and 10th
haunt could evolve into.
streets,
Korso Cafe is a skip away from the where
“If you could forget about the red tape of
the famous Dore Alley (i.e. leather) festival is
owning a restaurant and just focus on the fun,
held. Gay bars, most notably the Eagle, are nearby.
what comes to mind?” ask contest promotional
Lowe says he’s received “under one thou
materials. “What would the decor look like? What
sand” entries thus far. “But there are some inter
would it feel like? Now’s your chance to do it your
esting
ideas,” he says. Among them a cyber cafe,
way! Take a moment to imagine the possibilities,
an acoustic jazz club, even a proposal to trans
and ask yourself, ‘What would I do?’ ”
form the cafe into a site housing a juvenile out
Come up with a snappy idea, send in your
reach program.
green, and you may be the one to find out. Nab the
big prize and you get the whole shebang—every
thing from the stereo to the
furniture to the full kitchen
to the lease, which runs to
2007.
According to Lowe,
Korso Cafe grossed more
than $200,000 last year.
The fully equipped restau
rant is approxim ately
2,400 square feet, seats 60-
plus, and is zoned for beer
and wine, outdoor seating
and acoustic music.
“After a few years of
doing this, my [business]
partner and I have decided
to move on,” explains the
spirited Lowe, 29, who
along with Ursula Jost
opened the pasta/sandwich
shop three years ago.
“We’ve had a successful
go of it, but we’re now a
little tired.”
Lowe admits he hadn’t
even worked in a restau
rant prior to owning one. Robert Lowe and his dream restaurant, the Korso Cafe
“But Ursula did have
“That sounds like a cool idea,” he chirps.
an extensive background
And since the contest runs through July 31,
in the food and wine industry,” he says.
there’s still time to get more ideas into the hopper.
According to Lowe, Switzerland native Jost,
(The top 25 applicants will be interviewed by a
also 29, had worked in Michelin-starred restau
panel of judges representing the city’s entertain
rants to casual tea rooms before joining forces
ment, media and restaurant industries. A winner
with him to establish Korso Cafe.
will then be selected.)
But now the vibrant duo say they are hungry
Entries will be judged equally on the “basis of
for new challenges.
originality, appeal of concept and enthusiasm.”
“We first tried to sell Korso, but we were really
The competition is open to anyone 18 and older.
put off by the types of people we were dealing
Essays should be no longer than 500 words,
with—rude—as well as the process,” explains
and typed or printed neatly on an 8 1/2-by-11 -inch
Lowe, who was a business and economics major
piece of paper. Include your name, complete
at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
address, telephone number and confirmation that
“It was a very unappealing experience,” says
you are 18 or older.
Lowe.
Mail the essay and a $50 check or money
So the two decided to scrap that conventional
order, payable to Korso Cafe, to: San Francisco
plan for this Spitfire Grillish formula, which he
Dream Restaurant, PO Box 41-1406, San Fran
hopes will attract inspired and creative contes cisco, CA 9414!.
tants as opposed to stodgy suits.
Entries must be postmarked no later than July
"There are people out there who may have lots
31. For further details, call (415)522-8787 or
of desire and imagination but not the capital to
visit the cafe’s Web site (www.korso.com).
start something,” he says. "This is an opportunity
for those people. I’ve had opportunities in my life,
and 1 like to be able to do that for others.”
A
I lis te n .
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Financial Advisor
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