Fat T’s sandwich shop

Cresco - Sometimes dreams can be attained by chance.

Two guys. They each had a vision. They met by chance and were able to make both their dreams come true.

It all started about a year ago when Troy and Cathy Cleveland became empty nesters. They decided to downsize and move above their business, Tanning Unlimited, at 128 N. Elm.

They hired T.J. Casper to put up sheetrock. If the two men had both been introverts, the story might have ended there. Job finished. But as fate would have it, they helped fulfill each other’s secret wish — opening a sandwich shop in downtown Cresco.

T.J. said, “We had two similar dream ideas.”

Fat T’s had a soft opening the past few weeks and is celebrating its grand opening on Thursday, Nov. 1. Visitors and customers can sign up for some Chamber Bucks to be given away and get a great sandwich!

 

Birth of an idea

Troy recalled, “T.J. said he [and wife Ann] was looking at getting a building downtown to start a sandwich shop. Cathy and I were looking at keeping the tanning business and getting another building to open a coffee and sandwich shop.”

T.J. joked, “It was by accident or fate that we got together!”

After talking some more, the two couples decided to remodel the tanning business into a sandwich shop . . . and Fat T’s was established!

Troy admits the name was T.J.’s idea, although they had tossed around 10 different ideas. “The name took on a life of its own,” T.J. added. It works because both joke about their size, and both of their first names begin with “T.”

They even added another inside joke as the name of one of their sandwiches: Doubba Chubba.

 

Family Support

T.J. noted, “We couldn’t have done this without our wives helping us.” Cathy helped a lot and used vacation to help as well.

Also assisting were his parents, Mike and Wanda Casper. Mike made all the tables and did the flooring and beams. Wanda helped pick out the lighting. “We also got a lot of visits from Gary and Betty, Troy’s folks.”

They all had a hand in the decorating. 

~ The wood counter area was refurbished from the old ceiling.

~ The round tables are the ends of spools (T.J.’s idea). They used old newspapers and pictures of Cresco as a base (Troy) and put rocks in the knots (Mike) and covered with epoxy.

~ Clevelands used a lot of elbow grease and sweat equity to chisel off the plaster from the brick walls, then used a wire brush to clean them, and then four coats of sealant were brushed on.

~ Mike built display shelves on top of the door leading to the furnace room. The dishes and other items adorning the walls were mostly garage sale and thrift store items, as well as some pieces given to them by friends.

 

Shopping Local

One of their goals when first discussing the enterprise was to stay local. “We are all about supporting our fellow businesses in town,” T.J. said.

The partners listed many who helped them, including Gosch’s; Bob’s Electric; Casper Plumbing; Leroy Haugland (refrigeration); Billmyer Furniture and Flooring; Print Shop Plus (copied business cards from businesses); Elma Locker (meat); Dough & Joe (bread and rolls); Impact Coffee of Decorah; Spring Grove Soda; Vi’s Pies of Cresco; Rupperts Ace Hardware; Fisk Farm & Home; Wildflower Art Gallery and Frame Shop (framed pictures); and Times Plain Dealer (provided some pictures).

 

Menu/Hours

Fat T’s is open from 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday and is closed on Sunday.

Troy is in charge of the breakfast menu, which consists of to-go sandwiches, as well as items a-la-cart, including pancakes and scramble bowls. 

Lunch starts at 10 a.m., with T.J. in charge. There are five sandwiches on the menu, with a sandwich-of-the-month coming soon. Fat T’s also has homemade daily lunch specials and two soups-of-the-day that are changed every day or two.

T.J. makes all his own dressings and sauces. The menu is his own. He enjoys taking a recipe, tweaking it and making it his own.

A salad bar was added this week, just in time for the grand opening. Nine flavors of smoothies in multiple combinations are available all day.

Other things the owners are looking at are opening earlier during the week and adding a delivery truck for the local factories.

Customers can eat in and enjoy the unique decor or take it home or to work.

Although the business closes at 3 p.m., it is available for weekend or evening parties.

 

Experience

Both cooks have experience on the grill. Troy worked at the Tower Club for four years as a teenager and again for nearly two years at Dough & Joe. Most recently he worked at factory jobs for the past 18 years.

T.J. has been in the food and beverage business for 12-13 years, managing kitchens or businesses in Decorah and Prairie du Chien. The last four years, he has worked at Cresco Fitness Center.

“It is still a work in progress. We wanted to do a soft opening, and then add to it . . .  whatever else we decide. We started the salad bar on Tuesday,” Troy noted. 

T.J. commented on how supportive the community has been so far. “We haven’t heard a bad word. Mostly people say to just keep doing what we are doing, and they’ll be back, bringing their friends and family!”

Anyone wanting a different and contemporary place to eat, check out Fat T’s. Troy and T.J. are bringing a piece of the big city to Howard County.