I first met Michael 20 years ago. He walked into the door of Club Café while we were completing construction and introduced himself to me. He told me that he and his family owned United Liquors, and that he knew a winner when he saw one, and that Club Café would be a huge success.
He offered his help in designing and printing menu's, and on every other aspect of running a liquor business, and continued to do so for the next 20 years.
Michael became my friend; I visited him in California during his wine vineyard days; he was there for me when I lost my life partner Tim to AIDS in 1986, we sometimes met for coffee at 7:30 am, and for the next twenty years Michael never said no to anything I ever asked for, nor for anything many people ever asked for.
I told Michael many years ago, that United Liquors and the Tye family would always have my complete allegiance, and I have always given it, and will continue to forever.
Michael inspired me. In the early days of Club Café when the expenses far outweighed the revenue, Michael encouraged me not to give up, and challenged me to find the cash I needed to keep moving forward, even if I had to borrow from everyone I knew. I did.
And when my business partner Joe McAllister was dying of AIDS, and I was again ready to call it quits, he asked me to dinner and once again challenged me to dig down from where my motivation came from and find the way to turn my grief and pain into success. I did.
For the past 7 years, Club Café and Team United have joined forces to ride in the Boston to NY Aids Rides. Last year Club Café was ready to pull out of the ride because of the actions of the ride producers. Michael and Tom Leavitt asked us not to, and to-do the ride one last time. We did, and raised somewhere between 80,000 and 100,000. The exact amount is not known, because as of today the Fenway has yet to see one dollar of that money.
In April of 2002 Paul Spyrka hosted a Garden Party as one of the fundraising vehicles for the Boston to New York ride, at his home in the South End. Of course, as usual Mike and United Liquors donated the beverages for the party. While on his crutches, and in lots of pain, Michael came to the party and talked with us about producing our own ride. He even named it the Harbor to Bay Aids Ride.
Well the ride is now a reality. It is being produced by people like you and I. 100% of every penny; every dollar goes directly to the beneficiaries - Fenway Community Health Center and The Aids Support Group of Cape Cod!!!
FRANK RIBAUDO