Owner, Black Dog Cafe
Sara Remke grew up outside of Chicago, Illinois. She moved to the Twin Cities after college. After a number of fits and starts Sara landed in Saint Paul, after opening a small business in the Rossmor Building. For a number of years, she shared life, as well as a studio and arts business with painter Joe Geshick. The Rossmor was a creative hub of squatters and artists in the late 80's and 90's. Sara took over the position of building manager in the mid 90's. In late 1998 she and her sister opened the Black Dog Cafe in the Northern Warehouse building in St Paul. At that time, the Northern was an outpost of artists surrounded by empty buildings and it often seemed a ghost town! Yet even then there were hopes and plans for Lowertown. They held steady at the Black Dog, engaging the local inhabitants and artists, using the cafe as a canvas for their personal interests and the desires of the neighborhood. Since opening, the Black Dog has hosted shows for artists, writers and musicians. The Black Dog was home to Minnesota sur Seine, an international music festival started by Sara and her partner, French music producer, Jean Rochard. The festival hosted international musicians from such places as Morocco, France, Germany and England. These musicians were paired with Twin Cities musicians and formed collaborations which, in many cases, have continued well beyond the time frame of the festival. The Black Dog became known for their block parties and musical adventures. After surviving the difficult years during construction of the Light Rail and the CHS baseball stadium, the Black Dog completely remade itself with a full kitchen and full bar, and is currently beginning life anew in its 19th year in Lowertown. Sara continues as a hands on manager and operator there. In addition to her role at the Cafe, Sara has been teaching a specific energy/meditation system for the past three years. She lives in St Paul with her teenage son Leo and their dog Hannah.