We Need Your Help to Start-Up Restaurateurs

Hello!

We are a unique combination of a full service restaurant, bar, cabins, and RV hook-ups all situated in a bucolic setting in Northern Minnesota. We offer quality, 100% from-scratch cooking, craft cocktails, and cabin rentals in a clean, welcoming environment. At Mr. Ali we seek to achieve a low carbon footprint by supporting our local farmers and foragers by buying local, organic products whenever possible. We also maintain a staff of 12 employees in a region of the state that is economically challenged due to an unpredictable iron ore mining industry.

A hearty reception and incredibly busy summer right after we opened has shown us that the demand for quality food and cocktails is high in the area. We are repeatedly thanked for opening such an establishment and have many return and new customers coming to our doorstep each day.

However, we have learned that the Northern Minnesota winters are harsh and unforgiving for business owners. We did not have enough snow to entice snowmobilers out to our resort, but had enough inclement weather to keep automobiles from making the minimum 20-mile trek from the nearest cities. With a last-minute denial of our loan to outright buy the resort, we relied on savings for start-up costs, remodel, and equipment. This left us with little-to-no funding to get us through the tough winter. We back-owe 4 months-worth of mortgage payments and got the news last week that if we can’t pay in full by the end of June, the doors to our beautiful restaurant and resort will be shuttered and we will lose everything we have worked so hard to achieve this past year.

Thank you for your consideration.
Ali & Ismail