In the year of COVID-19, Helene and Mike Jacobs are pursuing the heroic task of starting their retirement business.
In the year of COVID-19, Helene and Mike Jacobs are pursuing the heroic task of starting their retirement business.
Helene’s Auburn Beverage at 11700 East Washington Street in Auburn Township had its start in February 2020 just as the novel coronavirus was making its entry into the U.S.
After more than 40 years in the food industry as a chef and restaurant owner, Mike decided last year to retire and the couple immediately started looking for something to keep him busy.
“I wanted to do something for my retirement,” he said in a recent interview.
“I was driving by, saw the ‘For Rent’ sign and told Mike, ‘How about we open a beverage store?’” Helene said. “We didn’t think it would be so much work.”
But the couple, originally from Chester Township, was used to hard work, having raised five children and maintained Helene’s catering business over the decades.
So, they went to work remodeling the leased block building just west of Ladue Reservoir. Jim Personey and his family operated the beverage store there for 20 or so years until he closed the business last year.
While they rearranged the interior, added new furnishings and labored to build their dream, they applied for a liquor license. They waited, and waited and waited.
The Jacobses were ready to open, but the pandemic had slowed the issuing of liquor licenses to a snail’s pace because all the employees were working from home, Mike said.
That delay set them back a year, although the license finally arrived after six months.
“It’s been a struggle. We lost a whole summer. A beverage store should be open in the summer,” Mike said.
So, they put wine and beer on ice and started filling the coolers with the sandwiches, salads and desserts they have found to be most popular. Although the store had been closed for months, area residents re-discovered the operation when it opened Aug. 20 and keeping the coolers stocked became worthwhile.
While COVID-19 put a damper on some parts of the business, having a drive-through has been a real plus, Helene said.
“Customers can place any kind of order and pick it up. They don’t need to get out of their cars and come inside,” she said, noting their menus are posted at www.helenesauburnbeverage.com.
However, if they want a taste of Mike’s puff-pastry French apple strudel, customers might don their masks and come inside to visit.
“All you need to do is put a few little samples out and they buy,” Helene said.
Mike said customers like the “fancy stuff” he made for years as a chef at the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg, country clubs and A Country French Affair in Chester Township.
Now that they stock specialty wines and craft beers, as well as snacks and staples, the couple expects business will pick up and they can hire more help. Then the business can expand.
For instance, Helene has been bagging up lunches for group events for 20 years, and Mike would like to cater meals including barbecued ribs, smoked chicken and feature the occasional clam bake.
“There’s a lot of things we can do when we have more help,” he said. “We could do more catering.”
Currently, Helene’s Auburn Beverage, located less than a half a mile west of the intersection of East Washington and Auburn roads, is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week with Personey minding the counter part time. Helene is happy to special order items upon request.
“Someone came in asking for macaroni and cheese, so I ordered some,” she said, adding that personal service will make the difference.
“We’re making it happen,” Mike said.
“Now we need to grow our business,” Helene added.
