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Aug 23, 2008 11:01 pm US/Central
Maple Grove Coffee Shop Offers Jive With The Java
MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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The King is played by Steve Marcio and he is about as limber and authentic as it gets.
CBS
By day, Mountain Mudd coffee shop in Maple Grove is like any other coffee shop. One night a month, a certain transformation takes place. Elvis Presley fans young and old from across the Twin Cities here to celebrate "The King."
"He was his own guy. He started everything. He was the rock 'n roll guy," said Elvis Presley fan Tom Bakritges.
In this case, the King is played by Steve Marcio and he is about as limber and authentic as it gets. His son Tommy also gets in on the act playing "Young Elvis." Family is the key to Elvis Night at Mountain Mudd. This whole thing started with Mary Ellen Everhart and her family.
"I've always loved Elvis, my family has always loved Elvis. When I came up with this theme being how we're full-blooded Greek, I needed to have a Greek theme. So a little Greek, a little rock 'n roll, a lot of java and here we are," said shop owner Mary Ellen Everhart.
As Elvis lives on, Mary Ellen Everhart and her family stay busy. Her husband and three kids work through the night serving coffee, wine and food to keep the King's disciples happy.
"They wear their Elvis clothes, they have Elvis purses, Elvis jewelry. Anything that they can put on them that's Elvis, physically they do it and then they bring pictures and talk about Elvis," said Nicole Everhart.
Sharon Kalmen never misses an Elvis night at Mountain Mudd. She is walking proof that fans here are keeping his memory alive.
"I have a little bracelet here. I've got my rings, my earrings, my little watch. This is actually a bullet that was shot by Elvis down at Graceland," said Kalmen showing the photographer her souvenir.
At the coffee shop it is a little bit of Graceland, a little bit Greece, and a little bit of Maple Grove all rolled into one. From "Love Me Tender" to "Jailhouse Rock," fans are living in the past and enjoying every single second.
"Remembering the man and his music. This is what we mainly like to do. Remember the man and his music," said Bakritges.
Elvis Night at Mountain Mudd happens the first Tuesday of every month. The Everharts said the crowd has doubled since they opened two years ago, but they add that there is always room for more.
Mountain Mudd is located at the following Twin Cities locations:
9712 63rd Avenue North
Maple Grove, MN
7530 42nd Avenue North
New Hope, MN
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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