Sandy Tugman, former advising and tutoring coordinator at Baker University and owner of the Great Day Cafe, is living proof that living the dream is always possible.

“I’ve wanted to (open a cafe) for so many years,” Tugman said. “I can’t even remember how far back the dream goes. I know that I started cooking at the age of five. I had a little step-stool, and I was always by my mother’s side in the kitchen.”

But, the actual reality of opening a cafe began to shift into motion while she lived in Baldwin City. She started looking at different locations there, until her and her husband, Greg Tugman, found a place in downtown Overland Park to open the Great Day Cafe.

Since Oct. 21, the Great Day Cafe has been open seven days a week, offering customers a variety of food choices, music and artwork. Not to mention sell-out soups such as peanut vegetable or sweet potato blue cheese.

Tugman said she has had so much fun working at the cafe and has enjoyed all the people she meets on a daily basis. Since leaving Baker in May 2010, Tugman has been able to see several people from Baker at the cafe.

“I love it when I see a former student walk through the cafe doors,” Tugman said. “I just love seeing those familiar faces.”

Senior Carly Young, who was in Tugman’s LA102 class, went up to the cafe for the first time Nov. 26.

Even though she didn’t get a chance to eat, she still enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and had fun chatting with Tugman, so she hopes to be able to go back up soon.

“I told her, ‘the next time I go, I’m going to be really hungry, and I’m going to eat a lot,'” Young said.

But it’s not just students who have visited the cafe. Several Baker staff and faculty have also stopped by.

Kathy Wilson, administrative assistant for Student Academic Success, visited the cafe in December and had a positive experience.

“It was no disappointment in that it had Sandy’s signature decorating all over,” Wilson said. “It was just very eclectic, it was Sandy-esk.”

Wilson is very happy to see Tugman doing what she loves, and another visit to the cafe is in order for her.

It’s exactly those types of “great day,” positive experiences that are behind the name “Great Day Cafe.”

“I remember when I was younger, people would say, ‘have a nice day,’ … and it just used to irk me, because it just sounded too scripted,” Tugman said. “When people say, ‘have a great day,’ there’s something that sounds more authentic, more genuine about it. And it really is up for definition. … I think it’s a choice, too. When you wake up in the morning, if you jump out of bed ready to face the day, chances are it’s going to be a great one.”