Ancora

by

What would the world be like without Seattle? It’s a question I don’t think anyone should bother asking themselves, but here goes. The Packers would probably have at least one more Lombardi trophy. The introspective grunge movement would be without Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Oh, and there’d be no Ancora Cafe + Bakery in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1994, when Friends and its iconic Central Perk forced a fabrication of East Coast coffee lifestyle into our homes, George and Sue Krug brought what they loved about West Coast coffee comfortably into our lives. Their sense of community and custom roasts took them all the way to their 2013 retirement. Six months before, however, they hired a fresh-out-of-college Tori Gerding.

Tori was meant to manage marketing and sales. She had a strong background in the service industry, mainly bartending, but was looking to put her business degree to work in an office setting. That perception changed when presented with the opportunity to take over Ancora after George and Sue metamorphosed from badgers to snowbirds.

A true brunchard, she always knew food had to be a core component of the business and its logo/interior updates. One problem, Ancora wasn’t designed with kitchen space in mind. Finding funding to move to a larger location proved challenging, so the only option was to convince a bank that the current model was profitable enough to expand into a brunch-friendly venue.

Some of these changes included trying things Ancora hadn’t done before. Tori was generous with the credence she gave to advice from strangers. “People would say, ‘You should try this.’ And I was 23, so I was like, ‘Yeah, I should.’ I listened to everyone. What was I doing? They would say, ‘You should sell these buttons my Aunt Kathy made.’

“And I’d be like, ‘Oh my god, yes. I need those buttons in my café.’

“And like, ‘You should sell this woman’s granola bars. You need granola bars.’

“And I’d be like, ‘I do.’

“’You should be open late. You should have live music.’ I don’t think there’s anything we didn’t have at one point.”

These little unfocused ideas became time sucks and didn’t make financial sense. Tori also started to crystalize her vision. After two years working within the original Ancora model, Tori’s bank agreed to take a large risk on her to give her what she needed to move from Ancora’s tiny University Avenue location to something larger with a kitchen. The new location was a reimagining of Ancora. With new branding, a fresh interior, and a food menu, there was something buzzing in the air. Then again, it might just have been growing pains.

But she was quick to wise up to what food items would work: from-scratch sandwiches and breakfast items that were either quick to make or ready-made. People would have the option to enjoy them in the café’s quaint ambiance or while fighting traffic on the beltline. pretty darn good

With customers’ needs varied as they were, a core menu had to be developed that those patrons could rely on alongside the seasonal options. The staples would become five lunch options; five brunch entrées; and five breakfast sandwiches, including the “Honey Bacon Biscuit. House-made biscuit with fried egg and cheddar and some honey sriracha, chives. It’s really good—I came up with that one while very pregnant and craving sweet and spicy things.”

Also on the menu since the beginning was the Chorizo Hash, featuring breakfast potatoes and chorizo topped with salsa roja and crema as well as some over easy eggs and toast. But don’t worry if you don’t like the spice. There’s also an avocado toast that’s too good to be vegan, but totally is (maple glazed brussels sprouts, cashew cream, sliced avocado, pea shoots, and sunflower seeds). Then there’s pancakes, omelets, brisket, and plenty of other options for everyone.

Just as impressive is the rotating drink menu, featuring syrups made in house. Lattes ranging from blackberry sage to mint chocolate zombie give customers something familiar with a delicious twist, and the Irish Cream Cold Brew, infused with Irish cream syrup and topped with sweet cream cold foam and cocoa powder, is the refreshing deserty pick-me-up you never knew you needed.

Zeroing in on the menu is a constant endeavor, and Tori embraces the meaningful and strategic pivots. Where she was most tested goes back to a wellknown competitor moving a few doors down from Ancora on Capitol Square: Colectivo. This lesson was a wakeup call. Tori shared with me her compulsive need to see how busy the new neighbors were and that them being so brazen moving in must mean they don’t see her as competition.

Ancora competing against a growing and regionally established brand is not a unique story. This is what every business in Madison is contending with on some level. To her immense credit, Tori didn’t shrivel up. She was open in discussing the worries and stress the experience gave her, but tells me the only option was to get to work, deciding on the more difficult, more rewarding course. “I’ve spent the last five years really honing in the service aspect of our business and growing our food program. We were always known for great coffee, but I knew we could be so much more than that.” Today, when the Farmers’ Market comes around, her business quintuples.

Tori is also testament to the too-oftenignored titans that are Wisconsin’s small towns. Hailing from Valders, better known as the 10,349th largest city in the entire country, Tori’s graduating class numbered fewer than 60. It’s impossible to speculate as to how successful each of her peers are, but safe to say there is value to their experiences and significance in having them represented in larger cities.

Pulling a business through COVID and coming out stronger on the other end, paying employees a fair wage with great healthcare benefits and financial incentives, Ancora’s heart is even larger than its success. It’s the legacy George and Sue probably didn’t know they were creating 29 years ago that provides a reason for them to keep coming back in the warmer months. If all this hasn’t given you enough reason to check out what’s going on at Ancora, I should mention that it’s worth it just to get a good old-fashioned cup of coffee—it’s pretty darn good.

Kyle Jacobson is a writer/editor who believes it’s easier to take three lefts than commit two wrongs.