RATF Classic #339: Lisa Schroeder - Mother's Bistro and 2023 Restaurant Challenges

On the news that Lisa Schroeder was named the Oregon Small Business Person of the Year for 2023, we felt it necessary to bring back our conversation with Lisa from January of this year.   Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro has had a very challenging few years.  The most recent upset was when her bank wouldn't honor refunding the money on checks written to her bank account number under someone else's name, simply because she didn't report the problem soon enough.  This comes on the heels of a tumultuous few years after 23 years in business  In 2018, she went through the process of moving Mother's to its new location not long before the pandemic hit.  Her location, in the middle of downtown where meth use is prolific, isn't the only challenge. She's required in her lease to be open 7 days a week, since her restaurant serves the hotel in the same building.  Lisa talks to us about the outlook for her business in the face of rising costs and new Portland dining and working patterns as well as restaurants as a whole, wherever they may be. Lisa is one of Portland's most outspoken restaurant owners, and she's always a great interview.   Right at the Fork is supported by: Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com Oregon Dungeness Crab: www.OregonDungeness.org  RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com