A Reyes Holdings Company
Sports Arenas – Magnets for the Masses When you think of the places that attract swarms of people year in and year out, the sports arena is on the short list. Ancient Romans rooted for their favorites in chariot races at the Colosseum. Three thousand years ago in Mesoamerica, the Mayans gathered in arenas to watch the game of pitz, a distant cousin to soccer, played with the world's first rubber balls. One wanted to end up on the winning team in pitz-the captain of the losing team was sacrificed to the gods. Spectator sports have played a major role in the human lifestyle down through the ages, although thankfully they have become more civilized. Today, athletes aren't sacrificed; in fact, the great ones are truly idolized. Brett Favre, Tiger Woods and LeBron James make headlines nearly as often as world leaders. by Mary Daggett Sports arenas are hallowed ground in America. Storied places such as Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the Brickyard in Indianapolis and Wrigley Field in Chicago pack in thousands of faithful fans year after year. Sports fans naturally want to slake their thirst and satisfy their appetites in anticipation of a sporting event, or to celebrate a hard-won victory afterward at a nearby eating and drinking establishment. The following Reinhart customers illustrate why catering to the local sports fans is a real boon to their bottom line.
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK... How many times have you been disheartened to learn that a precious historic property has tragically been wasted by the wrecking ball? In this story, we’ll take a journey back in time with operators who recognize the historic value and beauty in preservation and tradition, and who have turned their historic properties into iconic landmarks. While the past is truly present in these operations, the current operators are very much with the times in terms of savvy business practices, menu excellence, careful restoration and modernization and the continued importance of fine customer service. by Mary Daggett The Wild, Wild West The West didn’t come much wilder than Deadwood, South Dakota. Wild Bill Hickok was shot here, pretty dance-hall girls served up whisky as leather-tough cowboys stomped their boots in the sawdust along with the music. Wait a minute . . . that’s what’s happening today and every day at Saloon #10 and the Deadwood Social Club. From 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., visitors to this living museum can relive those thrilling days of yesteryear. Over a hundred years’ worth of historical western and mining camp artifacts festoon the walls and the bar. Louie Lalonde is one of the owners of this storied place today, expanding on what her parents, Lew and Marion Keehn, established over 50 years ago.
DINING ALFRESCO: A FEAST FOR THE SENSES There is something simply irresistible about dining out-of-doors. Mother Nature provides the ideal atmosphere to titillate the senses. Operators must set the stage with great food, drink and comfortable outdoor furnishings, but the rest of the sights, sounds and scents come naturally—and free of charge. Even more compelling is dining alfresco with a view of water—whether that be an ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, a lake, river or pond. Operators blessed with ample sidewalk space to accommodate a few tables, or those with back-yard or side-yard space enough to accommodate a patio or deck, ought to put that space to good use. The operators mentioned here all reap the benefits of alfresco dining. by Mary Daggett There’s a “Catch” to Angelo’s Success Back in 1945, George D. Petrandis built George’s Café and Bar on pilings located over Florida’s Ochlocknee Bay in order to be in the “wet” county of Franklin, whose border lay on the north bank of the bay. It soon became a popular “watering hole.” As more and more people tasted the wonderful fresh seafood, it became a favorite dining destination as well. This was the beginning of what is today called Angelo & Sons Seafood Restaurant, in Panacea, Florida, near Tallahassee. Angelo is George’s son, and as a boy, he cooked hushpuppies while standing on a box in his father’s kitchen. Also as a boy, he learned to broil steaks and seafood, along with his brothers, Jimmy and Johnny. The boys’ mother Bulah and Aunt Helen served tables. Angelo and his wife Arline ran the restaurant from 1985 until 2002, when Angelo’s son Thomas and his wife Jenny took over. The recipes used today include many that have been passed down for three generations.
unique ways to recession-proof your operation It is no secret that we are all enduring some of the leanest economic times in recent memory. Our industry is one of the first to feel a recessionary slide as disposable income shrinks, belts tighten, and folks eat more and more meals at home. by Mary Daggett This is not the time for operators to wring their hands, hide their heads in the sand and wait for the storm to blow over. It is the time to do everything you can to “recession-proof” your operation with some unique ways to build your business. Give your patrons a better alternative to eating at home with fine quality food at a good value. Ensure that your waitstaff is top-notch, offer enticing promotions and events, step up your marketing efforts and give back to the community to enhance your reputation. Read on to learn some of the tactics employed by expert operators who continue to build their business during these unique and challenging times.