it all began with an idea.
The dream of Millport hatched from many late night conversations with my dear friend, Susan.
Susan believed I should quit my job and explore cooking as a career. I didn’t have the same faith as she did, but with enough encouragement I started a little pop-up dinner. Built some farmhouse tables, designed menus and gathered people who I thought might actually come eat my food and pay for the cost of ingredients.
About 4 months in I had developed a little cult following. There were a handful of familiar faces, including Susan. But then there were new faces each week. People kept finding me and I kept cooking and learning. It was a blast! Things took off for “Neat Underground,”
It was an exciting time. It’s crazy how in an instant everything can change. Susan died very unexpectedly. The wind was knocked out of me! I didn’t know how to keep going without her cheering me on. As time passed, I started to feel her pushing me to get up and cook. So, crazily, and with her “go cook” in my ear, I quit my full-time job and never looked back.
No doubt I had to hustle and hustle hard. Somewhere along the way I ended up in Syracuse, NY for 3 months, working at my sister’s dessert & wine bar. I devoured every ounce of knowledge. As the stars began to align, while in Syracuse, I met Emmi. The woman who would end up going on this long and wild journey with me, both in the business and in life.
When I returned to SD with a belly full of angst and the energy of a much younger Alynn, I knew my moment was coming. And it did. I ran into Bethany (formerly of Red House Kitchen) at a Christmas party one night and she invited me to do a dinner service in their space during their closed hours. That day Bethany gave me my shot.
From there the story had lots of twists and turns. Like a global pandemic, when so many restaurants, including RHK, were forced to close. Their huge misfortune gave me the unique opportunity to do something crazy. So, at the height of Covid-19, I jumped.
Here we are, 4 years later.
Millport is the name of my hometown, a village in Western New York, population 300. A quaint place to grow up. My grandpa was a taxidermist. We hunted, fished & grew vegetables. We played in the woods, caught water skippers and fireflies. Lilacs in the spring and snowmen in the winter. I didn’t appreciate it then. Only in my 30’s did I see its profound beauty and begin to truly value the gifts of my childhood.
I always dreamed of having a restaurant that was like home. A place you go and know the owners. With small town vibes and a real sense of community. Imperial Beach and our specific location have offered a foundation to build that. We have a wonderful relationship with our guests. That part of the journey has been all I dreamed it would be.
Opening a restaurant in post-covid times has had many challenges. The world is changed. Cost of goods are at an all-time high. Prices are elevated on EVERYTHING! Both products and services. The human spirit has shifted. People are more entitled than ever before. Staffing is impossible. No one wants to come to work. And on top of all that, suddenly San Diego is a rainy city. 100% of our dining is outdoors.
We have pivoted many times since the beginning to stay open and find what makes us thrive. We have tried doing it the way it’s always been done in the industry. But the truth is, those days are over. We are in a new era of dining. Owners are throwing out old ideologies.
Our café is open during peak hours/days to stay profitable and not open on days it is historically slow.
We are family owned and operated, a wife & wife team and sometimes our little guy is along for the ride.
We practice “work/life balance”. We close twice annually to go home (to Millport) and reconnect with our roots.
We rest when the grind becomes overwhelming and take care of our physical and mental health first, avoiding burnout.
We make the rules. New ways, new ideas. We and our business has been able to thrive when so many others have shuttered.
Millport is family owned and operated.
2024 is the year Millport becomes what it was always dreamed to be.
We will continue to offer a limited breakfast/lunch menu with an all-new baking program, new Millport products and nurturing programs in partnership with our vendors. We will introduce our new Custom Cake program. We will finally get our ABC license!
Waterproofing our space is currently at the forefront, with a goal of May 1st to launch “Dear Susan,” our much-anticipated Supper Club.
Millport is an inclusive place. All are welcome here. Millport is home. Welcome home.