Teenage Workers Save Restaurant As Owner Spends Months In Hospital

August 6, 2025

When customers walk into Urban Olive & Vine in Hudson, Wisconsin, it’s not unusual to be greeted by a teenager taking their order or delivering their food. In fact, nearly the entire team is made up of teens — 30 of them, to be exact.

That’s by design. Owners Chad and Carol Trainor had always believed in giving young people a chance to learn and grow in a real-world environment. Most of their staff are between the ages of 14 and 18, and according to Chad, they’ve always been eager to soak up knowledge and do their best.

But this past year, those teens did more than just show up for work — they saved the business.

Carol (left) Lainey (right) | Credit: KARE 11 News

Last September, everything changed when Carol suffered a grand mal seizure right on the restaurant floor. She was hospitalized for the next eight months, much of it spent in a coma. Chad stayed by her side, traveling back and forth to MHealth Fairview in Minneapolis. He nearly closed the restaurant.

“I didn’t ask one teenager to do anything extra,” Chad told Kare 11. “They just did it.”

And that’s exactly what they did. The teens took charge — prepping food at dawn, training each other, covering shifts, managing inventory, creating daily specials, and even watering Carol’s beloved plants. While Chad continued to stop by early each morning to handle scheduling, the rest was in the hands of his young team.

Seventeen-year-old Acacia Kunkle started arriving at 5:30 a.m. to get things ready for the day. Fellow homeschoolers like Joe Stephenson helped cover the busy lunch hours while others juggled school with shifts. Down in the basement, 17-year-old Tori Manikowski took over duties once handled by Carol. Sixteen-year-old Lainey Dombrovski filled her car with groceries and restaurant supplies after trips to the store. They even kept track of bills.

“It’s a family here,” said 18-year-old Lilly Benzer.

That sense of family didn’t come out of nowhere. Chad and Carol had long supported their teen staff in and outside of work — attending their school events, sponsoring their activities, and offering help with homework and life challenges.

“Carol always offered help,” Joe shared. “With school, with life.”

So when the Trainors were suddenly in need themselves, the teens didn’t hesitate.

“They thought they were just helping out until she came back,” Chad said through tears. “We didn’t know it at the time — my wife was dying.”

Carol passed away on May 5 at the age of 58. Chad closed the restaurant so the staff could attend her funeral. Then, together, they reopened.

Today, Urban Olive & Vine continues to serve its community, kept alive by the determination and love of its teen team.

“Without them, the restaurant would not exist,” Chad said. “These kids became adults and ran our business and took care of me.”

“I love them like they're my own kids,” Chad said.