Milton's restaurant in Crystal faces closure, but neighbors aren't letting go

[question everything]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/miltons-restaurant-in-crystal-faces-closure-but-neighbors-arent-letting-go/ar-AA1NjL2B

For 13 years, Milton's Vittle, Vino and Beer has been more than a restaurant in Crystal, Minnesota; it has been a home, a gathering place, and a pillar of kindness in the community.

Founded by Francine Weber and her late son Chad Freeman, the restaurant, Milton's, carries a name inspired by Weber's father. What began as a tribute to family recipes has grown into a neighborhood anchor.

(snip)

But the future is uncertain. When the news broke that Milton's would be closing, many longtime patrons were stunned. Milton's faces ongoing equipment failures, rising food costs and labor. The time was ticking and the community came together to help.

Out of the few who reached out, a few started a fundraiser. As of Thursday, they have helped raise around 10% of the $150,000 goal.

To donate

https://givebutter.com/MiltonsVVB?s=NYFt8V

Oh, and the web address

https://miltonsvvb.com/
==

We will donate, hope others, familiar with the restaurant will. No, this is not "scam marketing" but about a neighborhood place.

[progree]

1. I used to read her (principal owner's) Facebook page, was always an interesting read

but haven't done that for years now. It's a Black-owned business.

It's up the street from me about 2 miles and one of my main exercise routes takes me by there.

It looks like a difficult location to make something like this work, but it's been there for several years.

https://www.facebook.com/p/Miltons-VVB-100061116949007/

[progree]

2. Milton's restaurant was going to close, but its customers had other plans, Star Tribune, 10/30/25

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/milton-s-restaurant-was-going-to-close-but-its-customers-had-other-plans/ar-AA1Pwy4S

No paywall at the MSN-hosted article. No quotas, no gimme-your-email-first, none of that.

Fran Weber had decided she couldn’t take running Milton’s Vittles, Vino and Beer anymore.

For the past 13 years, the restaurant gave the suburb of Crystal a chance to taste her late son’s recipes. It had been six years since Chad Freeman died on his 37th birthday, and Weber said the restaurant now needed regular infusions of her cash. In September, she announced
that October would be Milton’s last month.

But its patrons had other plans. They set up a crowdfunding campaign on Weber’s behalf, giving more than $20,000 — enough to stay open through the end of year. Mostly, their words convinced her to grab the lifeline.

. . .

Serving up homey classics like pot roast, matzo ball soup and mac and cheese, for some longtime customers, Milton’s has become comfort food in more ways than one. For Garcia-Jones, the soup was the last thing the mother of her fiancé ate before she died. And when her younger brother died in April, she found herself back at Milton’s, if not just to talk with Fran’s daughter, Char Freeman.

Milton’s knows about loss, too. Weber, in part, started it as a family operation — Char, the face, and her son, Chad, the chef. It’s Chad’s recipes that Milton’s serves, even six years after he fell from his bike, later developing a blot clot from which he didn’t survive.

. .. There are regular posts on Milton’s Facebook page, which gives frank updates on where the restaurant stands.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100061116949007

Milton’s, 3545 Douglas Dr. N., Crystal, https://miltonsvvb.com/

Fund raiser: https://givebutter.com/MiltonsVVB?s=NYFt8V

An October 31 notice on their Facebook page says they are removing the December 31 end date. "From here forward, I'll stay just as transparent as always, expect updates as necessary. If it ever becomes clear that we can't continue, you'll know well in advance. There will be no surprises"