Area Women in Business: Lisa Meyers, Restauranteur

Lisa Meyers
Born: Staple, MN, 1976
Education: Attended MSUM one year
Business: Bertrosa's Chicago Cafe, co-owner
Community Volunteering & Donations: March of Dimes, Bowls for Babies
On leadership, "Someone who does the right thing though it may not be the popular choice."

In business since 1999, Lisa has worked hard to grow Bertrosa's Chicago Cafe. The restaurant was first located in a former gas station on South University Dr. in Fargo. Since August of 2002, the restaurant has been located in the bottom level of the Black Building at 118 Broadway.

Lisa has never strayed far from the food industry as she has been employed in it one way or another since her teens. She has worked at Pizza Hut, MSUM's cafeteria, and then waitressed at weddings and worked in catering at the Doublewood Inn in Fargo.

Ready to launch her own restaurant idea, Lisa opened Bertrosa's in Fargo which is modeled after the authentic eateries that her husband Bert grew up with in Chicago. In fact, Lisa's mother-in-law owns the same kind of eatery in Chicago and Bert grew up in the business learning from his mother. Lisa's husband Bert has helped to develop the Bertrosa's concept to offer an authentic Chicago eatery food experience that he remembers as a child.

Keeping a particular business concept in mind as her goal Lisa mentions that obstacles remained as she built the business. She has worked to overcome the fact that Bertrosa's is not a "known" chain restaurant and has worked hard to get the word out that they serve unique food from Chicago.

A typical day for Sarah includes coming in to work at 10:30 am, working though the lunch rush, and then cleaning and doing food preparation for the next day. She generally leaves for the day around 3 pm. With Lisa's brother now managing the restaurant Lisa now has a little more free time during the day after intense years of working long hours to build the business.

Lisa watches a lot of shows on the food network and does a lot of food experimenting at work. However, she does not cook at home much. Lisa says that the future for Bertrosa's includes letting it grow and unfold and taking things as they come along.

Outside of the restaurant most people do not know that Lisa's passion lies in singing and acting. She has acted in some local productions including the Fargo Moorhead Community Theater and she does some guest singing with local bands.

Lisa sums up her hard work and unusual days when she says, "Life should be crazy. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of Thursdays strung together."

For more information go to www.bertrosas.com or call 701.364.0123