Ed Gaines retires after more than 30 years with Uptown Bill's/Wild Bill's coffeeshops

Ed Gaines has retired. He has been a part of Extend the Dream/Uptown Bill's since it opened in 2001 -- and before that a part of the original Wild Bill's Coffeeshop.

Ed was one of the two people who stepped in to run the original Wild Bill's right after Bill Sackter died in 1983. He's been a part of the Bill legacy ever since.

Over the years, Ed managed two small businesses associated with the coffeeshops. One, Mr. Ed's Supergraphics, included computer design work and overseeing the copy machine at Wild Bill's. Later, when Uptown Bill's opened, Ed expanded his business to include posters and business cards.

He retired once several years ago. But Tom Gilsenan coaxed him out of retirement in 2010. Ed's business flourished once again, strengthened in part by a small loan from the Extend the Dream microenterprise fund.

But now Ed, who turned 65 last December, says he is retired for good. He'll still be coming regularly to Uptown Bill's, though, and promises to be available to run errands. And he's looking for people who like to play chess.

You can stop in and see him most afternoons at Uptown Bill's.