Flipping for Change

Madison Magazine, November 2019

Behind the lines stretching out the door, the “blind special,” the cheery interior with sea foam-painted walls and chalkboards with cute sayings (“brunch without booze is nothing but a sad, late breakfast”), there’s another side to Short Stack Eatery, the all-day breakfast spot opened by Alex Lindenmeyer and Sinéad McHugh.

“We knew we wanted to be community-involved but we didn’t know what it would look like at the beginning,” says Lindenmeyer. “It’s now so integrated into our processes.”

Upon opening Short Stack, Lindenmeyer and McHugh knew they wanted the eatery to have a positive impact on the community; an emphasis would be placed on sustainable energy use and local purchasing.

Although the restaurant still works with local producers and participates in environmentally friendly practices like composting, Short Stack’s employees and social justice causes have also been a priority.

“Madison is a tricky city,” Lindenmeyer says. “Residents want you to care about local community and support nonprofits, but they also want low-cost food and for you to pay your employees a fair wage. You can’t have everything.”