Transcript
1
00:00:05,290 --> 00:00:09,310
Welcome, everybody, to another episode of Connect the Knox.
2
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,230
I'm Julia Hurley, your host, and today's guest is
3
00:00:13,230 --> 00:00:16,860
one of my absolute favorite restauranteurs, Dan Goss.
4
00:00:16,949 --> 00:00:23,880
Owner, creator, founder, best restaurant menu ever, best drinks ever, creations,
5
00:00:24,100 --> 00:00:28,770
extraordinaire, and one of my favorite titles that he probably isn't too apt to
6
00:00:28,820 --> 00:00:33,350
talk about on his own is one of the most giving people I've ever met in my life.
7
00:00:33,389 --> 00:00:35,400
Dan, thank you for being with us today.
8
00:00:35,519 --> 00:00:36,850
Wow, okay, thank you.
9
00:00:36,910 --> 00:00:37,610
I appreciate that.
10
00:00:37,850 --> 00:00:39,910
No pressure, no pressure.
11
00:00:40,690 --> 00:00:43,910
Dan, can you help any of our viewers out here and our listeners really
12
00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:47,070
understand Let's talk about your restaurant concepts, number one.
13
00:00:47,090 --> 00:00:49,880
I mean, everybody knows you best for your restaurant concepts.
14
00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:54,150
You're, uh, you're really creative when it comes to different restaurants.
15
00:00:54,150 --> 00:00:57,070
Let's start there and kind of just let people know a little bit about you.
16
00:00:57,270 --> 00:01:01,240
Well, we, we, uh, own Point B, Knoxville, which is off of Ebenezer Road.
17
00:01:01,390 --> 00:01:02,920
I've been there for about two years now.
18
00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,730
It kind of came about, um, actually it was
19
00:01:05,730 --> 00:01:07,840
born in the middle of the, uh, pandemic.
20
00:01:08,049 --> 00:01:11,129
You know, um, which is a perfect time to think about restaurants.
21
00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:13,870
No, honestly, we, uh, we created a concept that, you know,
22
00:01:13,870 --> 00:01:16,170
it's wrapped around part of the B and it is about boards.
23
00:01:16,250 --> 00:01:19,340
And so we utilize everything from seafood boards to charcuterie
24
00:01:19,340 --> 00:01:21,929
boards to, you know, we even do a s'mores board for dessert.
25
00:01:22,389 --> 00:01:26,300
And, uh, really what we thought was, and the we is my wife and I, we thought
26
00:01:26,300 --> 00:01:29,039
that, you know, after the pandemic, after being out of quarantine, a lot of
27
00:01:29,039 --> 00:01:31,820
people would want to get back to breaking bread with their tribe, so to speak.
28
00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,350
And so that was really the concept was to
29
00:01:34,350 --> 00:01:36,830
try to have a place that was close knit.
30
00:01:36,850 --> 00:01:38,410
You could go in and feel comfortable.
31
00:01:38,679 --> 00:01:39,910
The food is comfort food.
32
00:01:40,179 --> 00:01:42,519
We try to utilize as much local stuff as we can.
33
00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,919
So, and if we don't do local, then we at least know what's in the product.
34
00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:47,710
So we're trying to stay away from pesticides and
35
00:01:47,710 --> 00:01:49,369
fungicides and germs, you know, all the sides.
36
00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:50,839
So, yeah, that was really kind of it.
37
00:01:50,839 --> 00:01:53,900
And so, you know, we just, you We specialize on craft cocktails.
38
00:01:53,900 --> 00:01:56,600
We've got, you know, about 130, 140 wines.
39
00:01:56,740 --> 00:01:59,940
We've got a couple chefs on board that really get the ability to flex.
40
00:01:59,969 --> 00:02:02,260
Part of the other part of Point B is we
41
00:02:02,260 --> 00:02:04,739
play up on the destinational name of that.
42
00:02:04,740 --> 00:02:06,660
So each month we pick a different area.
43
00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,110
Sometimes it's location, sometimes it's a different theme.
44
00:02:09,139 --> 00:02:10,789
Like right now we're kind of just doing comfort.
45
00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,720
Oh, actually, we're autumn in New England and then
46
00:02:13,810 --> 00:02:16,070
next month is family and friends comfort food.
47
00:02:16,179 --> 00:02:18,350
We have a stable menu, so for those that, you know,
48
00:02:18,350 --> 00:02:20,170
are used to getting certain items, we have that.
49
00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,079
But then for those individuals that look for those specials or features
50
00:02:23,079 --> 00:02:25,370
or things that are a little bit different, then we have that as well.
51
00:02:25,370 --> 00:02:28,340
And like I said, it allows our chefs to kind of flex and have some fun.
52
00:02:28,420 --> 00:02:32,310
Well, we were there yesterday and we had the Poblano Pepper Chili.
53
00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,071
And I thought immediately When she said it, I
54
00:02:34,071 --> 00:02:35,310
said, "Oh, I don't know if I can handle that.
55
00:02:35,310 --> 00:02:36,359
It's going to be really spicy."
56
00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,000
But then I thought, "Dan never makes anything that's too anything.
57
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:39,829
It's always perfect."
58
00:02:39,830 --> 00:02:40,829
So I ordered the chili.
59
00:02:41,010 --> 00:02:42,379
I had two bowls.
60
00:02:42,670 --> 00:02:43,840
It was insanely good.
61
00:02:43,990 --> 00:02:45,060
Let's move ahead.
62
00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,180
I want to really delve into, one, the restaurant's great.
63
00:02:48,180 --> 00:02:50,040
We really appreciate everything you do with the restaurant.
64
00:02:50,050 --> 00:02:52,360
You do bring amazing food to Knoxville.
65
00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,779
And that is something that, especially where you're located
66
00:02:54,780 --> 00:02:58,409
on Ebenezer, is hard to find in the western part of Knoxville.
67
00:02:58,430 --> 00:03:01,260
A lot of the top restaurants are in the downtown market area.
68
00:03:01,279 --> 00:03:03,670
Obviously, that's where most of the tourism dollars go.
69
00:03:03,780 --> 00:03:05,590
So that's where most of the top restaurants go.
70
00:03:05,590 --> 00:03:08,360
But you brought that culture and class to the West Knoxville
71
00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,640
side, so we really appreciate being able to do that with
72
00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:14,609
Close to Our Home, which makes it a really good experience.
73
00:03:14,780 --> 00:03:17,500
But I really want to harp on your philanthropic heart.
74
00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,480
Because I think that a lot of people in Knoxville may associate Point
75
00:03:21,500 --> 00:03:24,500
B Restaurant with the location that they go to a fundraiser, but
76
00:03:24,500 --> 00:03:27,359
they not, they may not really understand you're the one behind it.
77
00:03:27,559 --> 00:03:31,070
So can you talk about your philanthropic giving and
78
00:03:31,219 --> 00:03:33,349
some of the charities that you're organized with?
79
00:03:33,429 --> 00:03:36,380
To go, to go backwards, look, I love downtown Knoxville.
80
00:03:36,380 --> 00:03:40,070
I was down there for almost 20 years working on Gay Street in a restaurant.
81
00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,170
Was fortunate enough to be part of watching
82
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,399
Downtown just explode into what it is today.
83
00:03:44,550 --> 00:03:46,560
After the pandemic, I wanted to do something a little bit smaller.
84
00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:47,880
So that was also what drove me.
85
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:48,690
And it's selfish.
86
00:03:48,690 --> 00:03:51,319
I'm like within two miles of the house or of the restaurant.
87
00:03:51,349 --> 00:03:52,269
So which makes it nice.
88
00:03:52,430 --> 00:03:54,960
But the other thing that my wife and I really wanted to do was to make
89
00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,890
sure that we were more than just a restaurant in the neighborhood.
90
00:03:58,890 --> 00:04:00,680
We wanted to be truly part of the neighborhood.
91
00:04:00,780 --> 00:04:03,329
And, you know, while I was downtown, I've been
92
00:04:03,330 --> 00:04:05,220
very active with a lot of different charities.
93
00:04:05,340 --> 00:04:07,550
Uh, and this ranges for everything from our local chapter of
94
00:04:07,550 --> 00:04:10,819
Leukemia Lymphoma Society to X Hunger, which, you know, before
95
00:04:10,820 --> 00:04:13,750
was part of the Scarecrow Foundation, or still is, but I was
96
00:04:13,750 --> 00:04:15,970
there when it was started off that and moved its way forward.
97
00:04:16,050 --> 00:04:19,380
But I mean, you know, we've done, you know, just a multitude, everything
98
00:04:19,380 --> 00:04:23,890
from specialized schools to job placement places or nonprofits,
99
00:04:23,910 --> 00:04:26,849
um, to obviously, you know, healthcare and then obviously hunger.
100
00:04:26,990 --> 00:04:29,330
You know, that it was, it's a very important part for
101
00:04:29,330 --> 00:04:32,130
me is to be, look, I mean, anybody can be a business.
102
00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:33,590
Well, I don't, I don't mean it that way.
103
00:04:33,610 --> 00:04:34,330
That's not right.
104
00:04:34,330 --> 00:04:36,390
But I, you know, you can be a business.
105
00:04:36,390 --> 00:04:38,360
But we wanted to be something else outside of that.
106
00:04:38,380 --> 00:04:40,940
And that's really just to be able to have the opportunity to give back to the
107
00:04:40,940 --> 00:04:44,489
community is something that was important to us because it directly impacts us.
108
00:04:44,589 --> 00:04:47,340
You know, I mean, everything that we give comes back, you know,
109
00:04:47,340 --> 00:04:50,010
and a healthy community, I think, is just critical in general.
110
00:04:50,110 --> 00:04:53,820
So if we can be an outlet or a hub where people can,
111
00:04:53,980 --> 00:04:57,220
you know, give a dollar or bring in supplies or, you
112
00:04:57,220 --> 00:04:58,730
know, whatever the case may be, or just raise awareness.
113
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,619
Then we're absolutely going to do it, you know, and fortunately we started doing
114
00:05:02,650 --> 00:05:08,599
fundraising in September '22, so it's been two years and so far we've helped
115
00:05:09,140 --> 00:05:13,349
connect and be part of over 100,000 that have gone back into our community.
116
00:05:13,420 --> 00:05:16,149
That's awesome, you know, and I hope it just continues to grow from there.
117
00:05:16,290 --> 00:05:19,299
I think one of the biggest things that I think I was at one of the very
118
00:05:19,340 --> 00:05:24,099
first fundraisers at Point B, and I remember thinking this man has shut
119
00:05:24,100 --> 00:05:27,469
down this whole restaurant, which he's not making any money tonight.
120
00:05:27,550 --> 00:05:31,920
He's donating this entire situation back to a not for profit.
121
00:05:32,070 --> 00:05:33,810
I said, you know, this is one of the smartest
122
00:05:33,810 --> 00:05:36,010
things I think that anybody could possibly do.
123
00:05:36,010 --> 00:05:39,050
I know probably in the short run it was not lucrative,
124
00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,970
but your restaurant is packed 24 hours a day.
125
00:05:41,970 --> 00:05:45,030
Your brunches are some of the busiest brunches
126
00:05:45,030 --> 00:05:46,790
I've been to at any restaurant in Knoxville.
127
00:05:46,900 --> 00:05:51,479
I believe for the last two years, all my husband and I have talked about is,
128
00:05:51,479 --> 00:05:54,059
"do you remember that time we were at Point B last month for this fundraiser?"
129
00:05:54,230 --> 00:05:55,870
"Hey, when are they going to do the next fundraiser?"
130
00:05:56,009 --> 00:05:57,669
"Hey, when do you think they're going to do something different?
131
00:05:57,679 --> 00:05:58,679
They're dropping a new menu.
132
00:05:58,680 --> 00:05:59,740
We've got to go check it out."
133
00:05:59,850 --> 00:06:02,539
And I think to myself, how often do I bring up your
134
00:06:02,540 --> 00:06:06,190
restaurant in conversation to my clients and my friends?
135
00:06:06,190 --> 00:06:07,370
And I'm like, often.
136
00:06:07,390 --> 00:06:08,680
Actually very often.
137
00:06:08,980 --> 00:06:11,450
And it's because of the things that you do to give back
138
00:06:11,450 --> 00:06:14,430
to the community that drove us there to begin with.
139
00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,820
So I think that's such a special give that you're, you're literally
140
00:06:18,820 --> 00:06:21,486
closing down your business to give back to the community once a month.
141
00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,169
You know, I don't know if it's the smartest thing, but it's
142
00:06:23,170 --> 00:06:25,210
definitely the most heartfelt thing, you know, that's for sure.
143
00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:28,260
Full disclosure, we make sure that the staff gets taken care of.
144
00:06:28,389 --> 00:06:30,190
You know, the one thing we don't want to do is take from them.
145
00:06:30,250 --> 00:06:33,520
So, we do ensure that anybody that's working
146
00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,800
for those given days is taken care of.
147
00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,610
I'm very fortunate that I have, you know, a staff that has a giant heart
148
00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:42,750
and, you know, a lot of them sign up to do those specialized events.
149
00:06:42,820 --> 00:06:44,659
You know, we've got one coming up this Friday night.
150
00:06:44,660 --> 00:06:47,319
We're doing a kind of a fire pit night.
151
00:06:47,580 --> 00:06:50,130
So we're shutting down the patio from nine until one
152
00:06:50,130 --> 00:06:52,469
in the morning, kind of like a "Bash Bama" type thing.
153
00:06:52,619 --> 00:06:56,730
Uh, but we're going to do, uh, you know, whiskies and, and, you know, late night
154
00:06:56,730 --> 00:07:00,969
snacks and a cigar and the proceeds for that are going to go towards X Hunger.
155
00:07:01,300 --> 00:07:02,370
We're splitting it a little bit.
156
00:07:02,370 --> 00:07:04,299
We're going to make sure that some of the hurt we're
157
00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:06,800
helping to support the hurricane victims right now as well.
158
00:07:07,110 --> 00:07:09,610
So we're kind of currently through the month of October, we're
159
00:07:09,610 --> 00:07:13,680
taking part of all sales and donating it to different charities.
160
00:07:13,690 --> 00:07:16,160
So we've given it to some individuals so far.
161
00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,530
We've given it to helicopter pilots, and we've given it to the World Kitchen.
162
00:07:19,830 --> 00:07:21,460
So, you know, we're trying to make sure
163
00:07:21,460 --> 00:07:22,830
that part of the proceeds are going to it.
164
00:07:22,860 --> 00:07:25,499
So we've got a fundraiser Friday night, and then we're
165
00:07:25,500 --> 00:07:28,849
doing another one on the 29th, which is a whiskey dinner.
166
00:07:29,139 --> 00:07:31,310
So we'll shut down and we'll do a whiskey pairing.
167
00:07:31,570 --> 00:07:34,420
It's a fantastic menu that we've got, uh, set up to go with it.
168
00:07:34,690 --> 00:07:36,860
You can find that information on our website in regards to it.
169
00:07:37,220 --> 00:07:38,710
We'll have another one in November, and then
170
00:07:38,710 --> 00:07:41,730
we'll have our cocktail party in um, December.
171
00:07:42,059 --> 00:07:45,790
So, yeah, you know, we do these things because, once again, you know,
172
00:07:45,790 --> 00:07:49,320
you can be a business in the neighborhood, or you can truly be a
173
00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,469
neighbor in the neighborhood, and that's kind of what we want to be.
174
00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,590
Dan, I'm telling you, there's just so much respect
175
00:07:53,770 --> 00:07:55,780
for everything you've ever created in Knoxville.
176
00:07:55,780 --> 00:07:57,200
I couldn't wait to get you on the podcast.
177
00:07:57,250 --> 00:07:59,370
You're one of the busiest people I know, and
178
00:07:59,370 --> 00:08:01,200
that's because you're opening another restaurant.
179
00:08:01,210 --> 00:08:02,639
Tell us all about that concept.
180
00:08:02,820 --> 00:08:06,219
Yeah, we're, um, actually, hopefully, we'll be open in the
181
00:08:06,220 --> 00:08:09,120
next month if everything goes well, you know, fingers crossed.
182
00:08:09,210 --> 00:08:11,580
We actually, we, we looked at the space.
183
00:08:11,580 --> 00:08:13,070
It's not too far from where we're at.
184
00:08:13,070 --> 00:08:15,400
It's further down Ebenezer's, technically on Peters Road.
185
00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:17,509
But really, we, we looked at the space because we have
186
00:08:17,509 --> 00:08:20,129
so many people that ask us in regards to catering.
187
00:08:20,270 --> 00:08:22,540
And Point B just doesn't have, you know, a
188
00:08:22,540 --> 00:08:24,920
tremendous size kitchen to be able to do a lot of it.
189
00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:27,330
And so, we acquired the second space.
190
00:08:27,590 --> 00:08:30,350
Mostly so we could expand out into a catering program.
191
00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,059
So stay tuned for that, but then we'll have one
192
00:08:33,059 --> 00:08:35,079
side of it that's dedicated to our catering benefit.
193
00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,969
And then the other aspect is going to be an in house deli.
194
00:08:38,070 --> 00:08:41,099
And so we'll, we'll specialize, we're gonna have about 12 signature
195
00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:45,440
salads, 12 signature sandwiches, and then you can kind of DIY your own.
196
00:08:45,550 --> 00:08:48,200
The name of the concept is going to be Greens and Grains, you
197
00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,420
know, and then, uh, and, you know, just to focus more on, you
198
00:08:50,420 --> 00:08:53,469
know, like the salad side and then the, the, the sandwiches, but
199
00:08:53,469 --> 00:08:56,589
what we're also doing is kind of a grab and go type scenario.
200
00:08:56,660 --> 00:08:57,950
You know, we have a busy schedule.
201
00:08:58,049 --> 00:09:00,390
I know several of my friends have busy schedules.
202
00:09:00,660 --> 00:09:02,040
You're juggling a lot of different things.
203
00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:03,859
And a lot of times it's like, Hey, what do you want to do for dinner?
204
00:09:03,860 --> 00:09:04,590
And you want to go out?
205
00:09:04,590 --> 00:09:05,480
No, I don't really want to go out.
206
00:09:07,260 --> 00:09:07,699
I don't have time.
207
00:09:07,699 --> 00:09:08,110
You know, you want to cook?
208
00:09:08,940 --> 00:09:09,100
No, I don't have time to cook.
209
00:09:09,100 --> 00:09:11,659
And then, so again, there's really not a lot out here for that grab
210
00:09:11,660 --> 00:09:13,869
and go type stuff where you know that you're getting a good meal.
211
00:09:13,870 --> 00:09:14,400
And so.
212
00:09:14,730 --> 00:09:15,680
We're going to utilize that too.
213
00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:18,090
So we'll take some of our catering concepts and, you know,
214
00:09:18,090 --> 00:09:20,870
we'll throw together, you know, maybe a lasagna or a meatloaf
215
00:09:20,870 --> 00:09:23,880
or rotisserie chicken with a salad and, you know, sides.
216
00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,610
So you can kind of come in and scoop it up and just literally
217
00:09:26,690 --> 00:09:28,670
take it home and know that you're getting a good meal.
218
00:09:28,809 --> 00:09:29,720
I love that concept.
219
00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:30,780
It's very familiar.
220
00:09:30,889 --> 00:09:33,100
There's a space, a well that was in downtown Nashville.
221
00:09:33,100 --> 00:09:36,370
Hopefully, hopefully they all get to rebuild and bring all that stuff back.
222
00:09:36,370 --> 00:09:37,140
It was Kouraté, a restaurant.
223
00:09:37,140 --> 00:09:40,060
It was a beautiful restaurant, and they had a sister location
224
00:09:40,070 --> 00:09:42,329
not far from their location, which was a grab and go.
225
00:09:42,330 --> 00:09:45,310
So if you didn't have time to sit down for an hour and enjoy a meal with your
226
00:09:45,310 --> 00:09:48,459
friends and family, you could go grab something they made special for the
227
00:09:48,460 --> 00:09:51,039
day and take it home with you so you're always supporting their business.
228
00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:52,729
And they kind of had that same concept of let's
229
00:09:52,730 --> 00:09:54,510
make sure we give back to the local community.
230
00:09:54,510 --> 00:09:56,930
So I love that you're bringing new concepts, not
231
00:09:56,930 --> 00:09:59,270
necessarily new concept, but it's new to us in Knoxville.
232
00:09:59,540 --> 00:10:01,949
To make sure that we're really creating a
233
00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,230
neighborhood and not just a place to eat.
234
00:10:05,630 --> 00:10:06,180
That's huge.
235
00:10:06,300 --> 00:10:07,950
You know, like I said at the beginning, you know, if anything
236
00:10:07,950 --> 00:10:10,219
that we can give back to the community just goes back to us.
237
00:10:10,299 --> 00:10:11,209
I mean, we live here.
238
00:10:11,260 --> 00:10:12,819
Yeah, that's, that's exactly it.
239
00:10:13,260 --> 00:10:17,400
We all know that real estate is location, location, location.
240
00:10:18,070 --> 00:10:21,669
Our team at Just Homes Group has the true expertise,
241
00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,539
pairing buyers and sellers with the right opportunities.
242
00:10:26,620 --> 00:10:29,449
Whether you're looking to buy or sell a home right
243
00:10:29,449 --> 00:10:35,209
here in Knoxville, Lenoir City, Clinton, or Farragut.
244
00:10:35,260 --> 00:10:38,880
We have the expertise throughout every Knoxville surrounding area.
245
00:10:39,590 --> 00:10:42,320
Call Just Homes Group today.
246
00:10:47,180 --> 00:10:49,180
So, what, tell us a little bit, if you want
247
00:10:49,180 --> 00:10:50,860
to, tell us a little bit about your family.
248
00:10:50,860 --> 00:10:53,140
Like, what are they, are they also restauranteurs?
249
00:10:53,140 --> 00:10:55,110
Are they at all the parties at one o'clock in the morning?
250
00:10:56,190 --> 00:10:57,620
No, they're all smart.
251
00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:58,940
They stayed away from it.
252
00:10:59,750 --> 00:11:01,000
Yeah, let's see.
253
00:11:01,740 --> 00:11:06,050
My wife is an executive for Mohawk, so she travels a little bit.
254
00:11:06,150 --> 00:11:09,560
But she's pretty much the design person for the establishment, so when
255
00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:12,480
you guys see the paint colors or you see the aesthetics, that's not me.
256
00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:13,080
It's all her.
257
00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,949
Through the bills, you know, we crack jokes with a lot of the contractors.
258
00:11:16,130 --> 00:11:18,110
You know, I'm, she's form, I'm function.
259
00:11:18,130 --> 00:11:20,369
So whenever they have questions, we just have to specify
260
00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,719
what area you're looking for, because it may not be mine.
261
00:11:22,879 --> 00:11:24,890
But no, I mean, the family is very supportive.
262
00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:27,550
You know, obviously the schedule is a little bit erratic.
263
00:11:27,590 --> 00:11:28,839
You know, when you work in restaurants,
264
00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,320
pretty much never off the clock, you know, so.
265
00:11:31,590 --> 00:11:32,600
But no, they support it.
266
00:11:32,639 --> 00:11:35,360
I've got an 11-year-old daughter that is just, loves it.
267
00:11:35,490 --> 00:11:37,500
She's dying to, to, to work.
268
00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:39,559
You know, she, uh, even has a little mini apron.
269
00:11:39,630 --> 00:11:41,719
So there's days that she'll try to put it on and come down.
270
00:11:41,719 --> 00:11:42,869
So it's, you know, it's nice.
271
00:11:43,020 --> 00:11:46,089
And then we have, uh, my, my older kids all have worked for me.
272
00:11:46,090 --> 00:11:49,000
And I've got one that's about to graduate from UT and
273
00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,980
then another one that works more towards Broadway.
274
00:11:52,030 --> 00:11:54,910
But, um, no, they've been supportive of it, and then we've got the new guy.
275
00:11:54,910 --> 00:11:56,139
He's, uh, eight months old.
276
00:11:56,219 --> 00:11:57,810
He's supportive, but he's not doing a whole lot.
277
00:11:59,910 --> 00:12:01,530
He seems, he's probably the best part of the day.
278
00:12:01,660 --> 00:12:01,949
He is.
279
00:12:02,060 --> 00:12:02,690
So awesome.
280
00:12:02,860 --> 00:12:03,469
I didn't know that.
281
00:12:03,470 --> 00:12:04,250
Congratulations.
282
00:12:04,260 --> 00:12:05,160
That's awesome.
283
00:12:05,180 --> 00:12:09,980
So, out of all of the restaurants that you've managed, owned, run, created,
284
00:12:09,980 --> 00:12:14,680
closed, reopened, COVID opened, what has been your favorite menu item?
285
00:12:14,820 --> 00:12:17,159
You know, one of the reasons my wife always teases me, because
286
00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:19,790
we go out and I'm always, you know, I'm always the perfect check.
287
00:12:19,850 --> 00:12:21,330
You know, I'm going to get an appetizer.
288
00:12:21,330 --> 00:12:22,260
I'm going to get a dessert.
289
00:12:22,300 --> 00:12:26,000
I'm going to get a drink because I want to try to explore a full menu.
290
00:12:26,139 --> 00:12:29,780
So that was the other part of Point B is, uh, I'm a grazer.
291
00:12:29,900 --> 00:12:32,280
So I like to snack on a bunch of different things.
292
00:12:32,389 --> 00:12:34,170
So, you know, the charcuterie or the seafood
293
00:12:34,170 --> 00:12:37,330
board are probably two of my favorites.
294
00:12:37,390 --> 00:12:39,600
And, you know, I like that just about anywhere I'm going to go.
295
00:12:40,010 --> 00:12:42,599
You know, if there's something that there's a sample where I can get a
296
00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,090
variety of things, that's really probably what I'm gonna, I'm gonna shoot for.
297
00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,954
What is your favorite menu item on your own menu?
298
00:12:49,259 --> 00:12:53,319
Currently, we've got a, uh, dry aged direct pork chop
299
00:12:53,500 --> 00:12:58,050
that we, uh, marinate that is absolutely ridiculous.
300
00:12:58,100 --> 00:12:59,420
It's probably my favorite item.
301
00:12:59,550 --> 00:13:00,950
I'll get it whenever.
302
00:13:01,180 --> 00:13:02,910
You know, it's, it's just, it's delicious.
303
00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:06,430
So we can do that with eggs for a brunch item, or we can
304
00:13:06,430 --> 00:13:08,570
do it with dinner with some other sides to elevate it.
305
00:13:08,610 --> 00:13:09,860
And so, yeah, it's fantastic.
306
00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:11,600
That actually sounds, I've not tried it and I
307
00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,950
will, because that sounds really good right now.
308
00:13:14,290 --> 00:13:15,690
It's a thick bone in cut.
309
00:13:15,750 --> 00:13:16,990
It's yeah, it's fantastic.
310
00:13:17,110 --> 00:13:20,609
So tell me about creativity, which again, I'll just harp on from you.
311
00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:22,889
Every concept you've ever had that I've been a part of,
312
00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,610
I've been in, I've frequented, you, you're very creative.
313
00:13:25,690 --> 00:13:29,769
You created a concept for your restaurant of a card, like a membership card.
314
00:13:29,859 --> 00:13:31,660
Explain that because no one else has done that.
315
00:13:31,890 --> 00:13:34,710
It's another way of giving back, but you want individuals what
316
00:13:34,710 --> 00:13:36,723
you hope that whenever you create a restaurant that you're going
317
00:13:36,723 --> 00:13:40,400
to have individuals that kind of dub it as their restaurant, you
318
00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,260
know, and if you kind of think about it, when you go out and about,
319
00:13:43,290 --> 00:13:45,620
you probably have one of your favorite places that you'll go to.
320
00:13:45,620 --> 00:13:47,679
And you take a little ownership into that place.
321
00:13:47,830 --> 00:13:50,510
You know, whether it's, you know, one key staff member, you know, several
322
00:13:50,510 --> 00:13:52,979
key staff members, or maybe, you know, the owner, you know, a manager,
323
00:13:53,090 --> 00:13:57,780
you know, and so what we try to do was create something that, that helped
324
00:13:57,990 --> 00:14:00,460
give back to those individuals that wanted to be a part of it, but then at
325
00:14:00,460 --> 00:14:03,200
the same time, gave those individuals a little bit more of an ownership.
326
00:14:03,610 --> 00:14:06,200
And so what we created was something that was called the Point Club.
327
00:14:06,289 --> 00:14:08,800
And so it's a, it's a tier system that's set up.
328
00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,240
We've got a bronze, a silver and a gold Point Club.
329
00:14:11,330 --> 00:14:13,290
And, you know, depending on what you're.
330
00:14:13,430 --> 00:14:14,709
You know what your wants and needs are.
331
00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:16,630
You know, there's, um, you, you can choose which
332
00:14:16,630 --> 00:14:18,360
one you want and it's gonna have different benefits.
333
00:14:18,790 --> 00:14:21,010
Um, the gold is obviously the more elite there.
334
00:14:21,010 --> 00:14:23,240
There's a, a, an annual fee for it.
335
00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:24,336
You pay in on it.
336
00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,150
But honestly, if you utilize any of these memberships just
337
00:14:28,180 --> 00:14:30,400
once or twice a month, uh, you're gonna come out on top.
338
00:14:30,540 --> 00:14:33,749
And that was really what the goal was, was to reward these individuals that,
339
00:14:33,860 --> 00:14:36,549
you know, want to come out and, and, you know, as people will call 'em, they're
340
00:14:36,550 --> 00:14:39,190
our regulars, but they're really family, you know, 'cause I mean, they are.
341
00:14:39,190 --> 00:14:41,300
And we, we know, you know, we get to know them.
342
00:14:41,300 --> 00:14:44,589
You know, you walk up and it's, you know, it's not just Mike.
343
00:14:44,590 --> 00:14:45,630
It's, you know, it's Mike.
344
00:14:45,630 --> 00:14:46,810
Hey, how's retirement going?
345
00:14:46,810 --> 00:14:50,230
And, you know, we know you just retired and, or it's, you know, you talk
346
00:14:50,230 --> 00:14:54,150
to Doug and make sure that, you know, his health is, you know, doing well.
347
00:14:54,150 --> 00:14:57,390
And, you know, so you really get to just know these individuals
348
00:14:57,420 --> 00:14:59,459
and you embrace them and bring them in part of the family.
349
00:14:59,459 --> 00:15:03,360
And this is just a way for them to get a little bit of a kickback, so to speak.
350
00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:05,000
And then it also gives them a little bit of flex, you know,
351
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,610
they're sitting at the bar or they're sitting at a table and
352
00:15:07,260 --> 00:15:09,400
they're able to throw this card out and get a little bit of a perk.
353
00:15:09,410 --> 00:15:10,349
It's a nice thing.
354
00:15:10,460 --> 00:15:12,929
And so when we do special events, these are the
355
00:15:12,969 --> 00:15:15,520
individuals that also get first, uh, first dibs.
356
00:15:15,670 --> 00:15:16,900
So we invite them in.
357
00:15:17,150 --> 00:15:18,690
That's actually something that we're looking at.
358
00:15:18,690 --> 00:15:20,830
We're going to probably have an appreciation night for
359
00:15:20,830 --> 00:15:23,520
our Point Club members coming up, uh, either towards
360
00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:25,360
the middle of November or the beginning of December.
361
00:15:25,470 --> 00:15:29,180
And that's another thing where we'll shut down and just invite them in.
362
00:15:29,429 --> 00:15:33,670
And, you know, it may be a $5 entry or something that we have to do for
363
00:15:33,670 --> 00:15:36,450
the legal aspect, but we'll roll that money around into another charity.
364
00:15:36,570 --> 00:15:37,220
Stay tuned for that.
365
00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:39,610
You always make every event a community event
366
00:15:39,620 --> 00:15:41,260
and I think that's just absolutely fantastic.
367
00:15:41,330 --> 00:15:43,590
We have so many people that tune into this podcast to
368
00:15:43,590 --> 00:15:46,109
learn about the people of Knoxville and what they do.
369
00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:50,740
I think it is really relevant just to just really harp on where you're located,
370
00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,930
how people can get in touch with you, where can they follow your restaurant.
371
00:15:54,150 --> 00:15:56,100
How can they be part of this amazing
372
00:15:56,100 --> 00:15:58,850
community and help you create something new?
373
00:15:58,980 --> 00:16:00,700
Everything's wrapped around Point B Knoxville.
374
00:16:00,740 --> 00:16:01,472
That's what it's going to be.
375
00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,040
So on the website, it's pointbknoxville.com.
376
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,010
Uh, you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram and that's @pointbknoxville.
377
00:16:08,099 --> 00:16:11,240
We, we work with, uh, South Made Marketing here in town.
378
00:16:11,279 --> 00:16:14,000
They're a phenomenal marketing group, help us out tremendously.
379
00:16:14,030 --> 00:16:17,140
So it's fun and energetic, you know, social media stuff.
380
00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,760
If you go to the website, you can keep up with the events
381
00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:21,980
that we're doing or as they're, you know, as they start
382
00:16:21,980 --> 00:16:25,329
to evolve, you can also get into, uh, through the webpage.
383
00:16:25,340 --> 00:16:30,140
You can input your text or email, and then we can include you in on
384
00:16:30,140 --> 00:16:33,680
any of our up to date, you know, type stuff we'll send out to you.
385
00:16:33,780 --> 00:16:34,180
So.
386
00:16:34,470 --> 00:16:35,460
There's, there's several different ways.
387
00:16:35,460 --> 00:16:37,905
And, you know, one of the better ways is just come on in and see us in
388
00:16:37,940 --> 00:16:41,310
the restaurant, you know, we're located at, uh, Ebeneezer, right where
389
00:16:41,310 --> 00:16:45,129
Westland, uh, and Ebeneezer meet, you know, it's a newer location.
390
00:16:45,270 --> 00:16:47,589
There's a Donato's pizza and a K brew there.
391
00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:49,130
So you can come down and, you know, check
392
00:16:49,130 --> 00:16:50,850
us out and then check out the other places.
393
00:16:50,980 --> 00:16:51,650
It's pretty amazing.
394
00:16:51,660 --> 00:16:53,210
And there's always parking, just a PS.
395
00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,650
I don't know how, but your restaurant, even on a wait, I always
396
00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,209
seem to be able to find a parking spot, which I appreciate.
397
00:16:58,209 --> 00:16:58,789
No, I love it.
398
00:16:58,789 --> 00:16:59,209
That's awesome.
399
00:16:59,420 --> 00:17:00,120
It is pretty great.
400
00:17:00,340 --> 00:17:02,849
Dan, is there anything that you want to add to this conversation?
401
00:17:02,849 --> 00:17:04,010
We're about to hit our time.
402
00:17:04,209 --> 00:17:06,539
And I just want to make sure that as you're talking to the nation,
403
00:17:06,539 --> 00:17:10,040
that you get out and talk about whatever you want to talk about.
404
00:17:10,170 --> 00:17:12,390
Obviously, I want to support my own business.
405
00:17:12,410 --> 00:17:15,379
But, you know, more than that, I think, you know, whether you're going
406
00:17:15,380 --> 00:17:20,219
through Point B or another facility, you know, check into your community.
407
00:17:20,339 --> 00:17:22,269
See what's happening around you.
408
00:17:22,279 --> 00:17:23,969
Look into the nonprofits.
409
00:17:24,129 --> 00:17:25,609
You know, I can't emphasize it enough.
410
00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:29,530
There's so many out there that need assistance and more than anything
411
00:17:29,530 --> 00:17:31,630
else, the best assistance you can give some of these nonprofits
412
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,379
is just awareness, just letting people know that they exist.
413
00:17:34,389 --> 00:17:37,219
So just take a little bit of time, you know, and I'm sure there's
414
00:17:37,219 --> 00:17:39,280
other restaurants out there that are doing similar things.
415
00:17:39,339 --> 00:17:40,240
I would hope so.
416
00:17:40,559 --> 00:17:44,070
You know, but check into things, see, see what nonprofits need help.
417
00:17:44,070 --> 00:17:46,510
And, you know, sometimes it's giving a dollar, sometimes
418
00:17:46,510 --> 00:17:48,980
it's just sharing their information on your social
419
00:17:48,980 --> 00:17:51,700
media, just to get more people aware of what's going on.
420
00:17:52,020 --> 00:17:54,340
And when you do this, I promise you, you're
421
00:17:54,340 --> 00:17:56,080
going to have a stronger, richer community.
422
00:17:56,099 --> 00:17:56,399
Friends.
423
00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:57,819
I think I'm going to let it end right there.
424
00:17:57,820 --> 00:18:00,490
I couldn't have said it better myself as someone who does
425
00:18:00,549 --> 00:18:03,250
frequent Point B restaurant and attends these events.
426
00:18:03,270 --> 00:18:05,199
I encourage you very much to go.
427
00:18:05,410 --> 00:18:06,640
You will enjoy yourself.
428
00:18:06,670 --> 00:18:08,430
You will get a five star meal.
429
00:18:08,599 --> 00:18:11,899
You will get treated like one of the best, then exclusive
430
00:18:11,900 --> 00:18:14,110
person, the only person in the restaurant, and you'll be able
431
00:18:14,110 --> 00:18:16,240
to give back to the community and feel really good about it.
432
00:18:16,250 --> 00:18:19,200
So, Dan, thank you so very much for joining us.
433
00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,939
I know your time is limited and it is so special that you
434
00:18:21,940 --> 00:18:24,210
chose to spend part of it with us here at Connect the Knox.
435
00:18:24,590 --> 00:18:28,420
Friends, I'm Julia Hurley, connecting Knoxville to the nation.
436
00:18:28,599 --> 00:18:29,469
Until next time.
437
00:18:29,860 --> 00:18:31,599
Thank you for tuning into the show.
438
00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,989
Make sure to like and subscribe.
439
00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:37,090
Leave a five star review on your podcast player of choice.
440
00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:39,430
And if you would like information on moving
441
00:18:39,430 --> 00:18:41,960
to Knoxville, send me a private message.
442
00:18:42,260 --> 00:18:46,319
As always, this is Julia Hurley connecting Knoxville to the nation.