By Kristine Kern
Review Staff Writer
Charlotte Dammer celebrated 18 years of ownership at CD’s Cafe in Rushmore on February 2nd, 2019. Reflecting back Charlotte remembers that she and her late husband Darryl bought the cafe a month before they were married. She laughs and explains that she then had to re-sign a lot of the paperwork, changing everything over to her married name a month following the wedding. She laughs as she says, “our goal was to be here ten years and here I just passed eighteen years, time goes fast.”
Charlotte (Green) Dammer has been in the food service business most of her life. Growing up in Luverne, she began working at Puddy’s Cafe when she was eighteen. From there she worked for the Magnolia Steakhouse before coming to Rushmore and buying the cafe from Loren Rowland. Charlotte has always had strong support from her family at CD’s Cafe. She does the cooking and waitressing when needed, and Darryl was there to help out over the years when he was not working, until he passed away in December of 2016. Charlotte’s sister Denise Sprecher, helped Charlotte the first year in business by waitressing for no pay, just the tips. Another sister, Roxanne Green, still comes in to help a couple of days a week.
CD’s Cafe has been a popular gathering spot for the community over the years. There were annual community Christmas parties in the early years. Charlotte remembers, “I would cook some goodies and then people started bringing stuff, that kitchen was bursting with food!” Charlotte continues to be open on holidays for breakfast until 10 a.m. She explains, “my brother Orv asked where are all of us that are single supposed to go on the holidays, so I am open in the morning so everyone has place to be.” She has continued the tradition of opening the first two Sundays in November for the deer hunters, something she has done since she opened CD’s.
When asked what Charlotte enjoyed the most about her business, she was quick to laugh and stated “definitely not the dishes!” She then added, “I enjoy the people. They’ve seen me happy, mad and they’ve seen me cry, they know me.” She also enjoys cooking and staying busy. Looking back she says she has made a lot of potato salad, meatloaf, fried chicken and roast beef over the years. Those are the most requested specials she has. Charlotte appreciates the fact that her customers tell her their requests so she can make what they like. She says they would have meatloaf and fried chicken every week if she would cook it for them, but she doesn’t want to serve the same things all the time. There is always one lunch special or you can order off the menu.
Over the years Charlotte has been known for delivering meals to the elderly and sick. For many years she provided the senior dining in Rushmore until the program was ended by the county. Along with the cafe Charlotte keeps busy as President of the Rushmore Booster Club (she has even done a stint as the Easter Bunny) and she is active in the Presbyterian Church.
Looking to the future Charlotte would like to sell CD’s Cafe to someone that will keep it open for the community. But, until that time she will stay where she is, opening for her first visitors of the day at 5:30 a.m., “her breakfast guys” who are usually there until 8:00 a.m. and then her “coffee ladies”, who come in from 9-10. She has just enough time to get ready for her lunch crowd from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Charlotte has enjoyed all her regulars throughout the years and meeting new people in the community.
Congratulations Charlotte on eighteen years in business and countless delicious meals served.
