It is surprising to find business owners in this day and age who aren’t all about the money. Michael Diedrick from Milwaukee is one such person. The fact that he sold his restaurant located in a prime neighborhood for a paltry sum of $100, is something strange and unfathomable. Although, once you get to know more about the deal, it might not seem so bizarre after all.

Forty year old Diedrick opened the National Café and Takeaway around three years ago with a goal. His aim was to introduce the city of Milwaukee to the sustainable concept of local and organic food, centered around minimal waste. The place was opened as an experiment, with the intention of being sold eventually, to a person capable of managing such a restaurant. Diedrick, in fact, runs his own website design studio in the same premises, three floors below.

Photo via Peninsula Soap

A long search and several applicants later, Diedrick found Nell Benton, 35, an out-of-work chef with a lot of experience to her credit. She was the perfect person to take over the job, according to him. Such was his confidence in her, that he literally gave away the business valued at US $50,000 for just $100. The only conditions to the sale he insisted upon, were that the name of the café and the staff be retained, and the food remain the same for at least two years. Diedrick and his wife are also entitled to one free meal a day, for the next one year.

Benton, on her part, seems to be living up to Diedrick’s expectations. She has plans to let out the café in the evenings to non-profit group events. After gaining a culinary degree in Florida, Benton traveled extensively, studying cooking in places such as Thailand. She has worked with refugees and displaced persons at the American Refugee Camp.

For now, Diedrick seems happy with his decision. He claims to have received higher offers for the restaurant, but he chose to accept the one with the most promise. In his own words, the sale “did something we often forget: help someone realize a dream.”

via National Post