Chris Mac Kenzie/For The Alpine Sun Mary Rynearson poses at the chamber office in front of the Alpine Chamber of Commerce seal.

     Mary says that she hates to leave the chamber but she knows that she is really needed in National City. The café was started by her mother, the Mary in the café's name, who built it up through the years as a truck stop and local gathering place. It's located at 1930 Cleveland Ave. in National City, one block west of Highway 5.
     “Mom is 78 years old now and it's her life,” said Rynearson. “She refuses to sell the place but she just can't handle all the details anymore. Mom loves to bake pastries, make desserts and do that kind of cooking but handling employees and all the financial details are too much for her, so it was time for some of us to help.”
     Actually, it's a true family restaurant as all the family have worked there at one time or another. Mary's brother is the morning shift cook. The café opens at 4:30 a.m. All the brothers and sister have helped there including the Rynearson daughters, 17 and 19, both of whom are through school now.
     “I'll do the afternoon management shift,” explained Rynearson, “and our younger daughter waits tables on the same shift, so we can drive in together. Actually I'm looking forward to it as so much needs to be done. The building needs restoration and even some actual rebuilding which my contractor husband, Randy, can do. We need to start a good marketing program to build up the customer base. The café has a small bar so I want to add more late afternoon business by using our new satellite TV to attract people.”
     Rynearson should be well suited to handle that kind of promotion since marketing to attract new members for the Chamber was a big part of her job. “I like working with people,” she said, “so that part will be easy.”
     Before she came to the Chamber some eight years ago, she worked for Petco, and before that when her girls were little, she ran her own home day care program for young children.
     Her job at the chamber had many facets, representing the chamber at public events, ribbon cuttings for new businesses, organizing meetings and events of all kinds.
     “Working with events was my favorite part of the job,” she said. “Like the evenings with our elected representatives that we set up from time to time. That was very interesting. And the Hot Topic Breakfasts we had every month or so. “
     Rynearson was still on duty for the last breakfast, on Wednesday, June 14, which covered the medical issues of East County and featured nine different expert speakers. Members met at 7:30 a.m. in the Bread Basket banquet room.
     The present office staff maintains that none of them can replace Mary Rynearson, but they are trying to take on her duties. Pat Cannon, who has just returned from vacation, is the president and CEO. The newest staff member, Helen Horvath, a psychiatrist by profession, will be handing new membership sales. Ruth Jellison acts as executive assistant while Gary Weinstein is the information and technology man.

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