Per capita, Madison has more restaurants than any other city in the United States. We love to eat, but what goes into our dining decisions? Most obviously, people look for a certain type of food, taking into consideration the cost and the dining environment.
For some, the decisions stop there. However, due to the efforts of a particular Madison group, more people are taking into account whether they are supporting local businesses. At the root of this 'Dine Local!' movement, is a group called Madison Originals.
Founded in 2003 by Marcia and Patrick O'Halloran, Madison Originals is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Madison's unique local flavor. The couple runs Lombardino's Restaurant, 2500 University Ave., and cofounded the recently opened The Old Fashioned, 23 N. Pinckney St.
While on vacation in Kansas, the couple noticed signs in the windows of restaurants that signified they were Kansas City Originals. Dining locally had always been important to the O'Hallorans, so this promotional idea struck a chord.
They researched the idea and found out many other cities had already adopted similar campaigns through the Council of Independent Restaurants of America. The idea was simple: preserve the entrepreneurial spirit of towns by joining together to spread the word about locally owned restaurants.
'We needed to band together to get the word out about local dining,' stated Marcia O'Halloran. Many restaurant owners saw the organization as a way of countering the large national chains that have, in recent years, switched from fast food to family and upscale eateries.
Hawk Schenkel, owner of Hawk's Bar and Grill, 425 State St., also saw the importance of this dining movement.
'As independent restaurant owners, we can empower each other by banding together; we can be the bigger corporation,' Schenkel said.
In its infancy, Madison Originals had more members than any other beginning charter within CIRA.
Members decided they would join together to market each others' restaurants, and get the word out about dining local. Madison Originals adopted the bylaws of CIRA that state that participating owners must independently own their restaurants, not franchise them, and may own no more than six establishments.
There are currently about 40 members in Madison Originals, from casual restaurants like The Nitty Gritty, 223 N. Frances St., to fine dining like Harvest, 21 N. Pinckney St. The broad spectrum of restaurants allows everyone the option to dine locally.
Madison Originals puts out a self-titled magazine about food and culture, which can be found in participating restaurants. If the magazine doesn't lure you into these restaurants, the website, www.madisonoriginals.org, will. Quarterly, businesses donate gift certificates as part of their membership fees. They are then sold at a discounted rate on the web. General gift certificates for any of the participating members are also sold.
'The best advertisement is just getting people into the restaurant and trying the food,' O'Halloran said.
In addition to promoting participating restaurants, the organization takes part in community events, like the Garden Party for Hospice-Care held last summer. Events like this, as well as organizational meetings, show that the independent restaurant owners put an emphasis on camaraderie above competition.
'Our group creates community,' Schenkel said. 'We're in competition, but we're happy to see other independent restaurants succeed.'
Dining local goes far beyond food (although that is the sticking point). By dining locally, patrons are helping build a more connected community while infusing money into the local economy. Many restaurateurs are doing their part to keep our city unique, and so far, Madisonians are embracing this rather tasty cause.
'Many of our restaurants share the same customers,' O'Halloran said. 'There are a lot of people in the city who appreciate local business.'
