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The small business ethos is still alive and well in Tallahassee for many businesses and nonprofits, and despite the challenges and economic rollercoasters, this year celebrated a landmark anniversary.
They represent a variety of industries, from hospitality to construction. The Palace Saloon is one of them.
For 50 years, the easy-going bar in the shadow of Doak Campbell Stadium has been a hangout and hangout for generations of locals and Seminoles living west of Tallahassee. Owner girlfriend Lora Lowe bought the palace in 2008, when it was a cash-only business.
She spearheaded some changes, including credit card payments, to give customers options.
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“We have decided to close many public holidays as well,” Lowe said. “I know people want to get away from their families and go somewhere and have a drink, but I feel that my employees need to be with their families. We understand that is one of the most important parts of life, and Palace wants to make sure all employees have enough time.”
What is the secret of their success?
Keep things new and exciting, Rowe said. Visiting the bar’s website, customers can obtain Palace-Her Saloon merchandise and showcase fandom such as Anniversary-Her items.
If her bar and all the other businesses celebrating milestones this year have one thing in common, it comes down to one word: community.
Here are some local businesses and nonprofits that have been in business for over 25 years. I asked each of them a few questions. Here’s what they said:
Kids Co., Ltd. — 50 years
What were your early years in business like?
We were founded on August 4, 1972 in Tallahassee by Elizabeth “Bud” Bell. Currently serving her 0-3 year old children and their families, pregnant women in Leon, Madison and Jefferson counties.
Bad Bell was an advocate for welfare and human rights. She has established herself in the community as an activist who is not afraid to address community issues in order to reach out to legislators. There she took up the issue of quality and affordable child care, resulting in the Child Care Bill to help fund early childhood education programs. Kids Incorporated then began serving college kids attending Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College. This was just the beginning of Budd Bell’s recognition of the need for quality early learning for college students in Leon County who cannot afford to care for their children.
What are your biggest challenges and thrills as a Tallahassee small business owner?
The biggest challenge is always funding. Because quality costs money. As an organization, we want the children we serve to receive the same level of care as other children in our community. It is to see if the child leaves our program and progresses to the next educational level.
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
Our biggest contributors are the communities that support our efforts, the families who need our services, and our daily guarantees that parents receive quality care and comprehensive services at affordable prices. It’s the staff who are doing it.
Mad Dog Construction — 45 Years
What were your early years in business like?
In the early days of Mad Dog Construction, we were framers, master carpenters and designers. We do almost every aspect of our work ourselves and have developed our own product.
What are the biggest challenges and thrills of being a small business owner/nonprofit in Tallahassee?
The biggest challenge of being a small business is staying ahead of change and supporting your employees through it. Technology, building systems, risk management, everything is constantly changing. The thrill is seeing it all come together. Whether it’s Blairstone Forest in 1980 or the Orange Avenue Apartments planned for 2023, it’s amazing to see the elements assembled in his 3rd dimension through the hard work of our team. is.
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
Our leadership, the experience and skills of our employees, and a lot of hard work.
Food Glorious Food — 40 Years
Owned by Susan Turner for the first 20 years, (Head Chef and Owner Kevin Stout) has been the majority owner and managing member for the last 20 years.
What were your early days like?
The early days are blurry. We actually made money in the first year. We were busy so we rented another space and at one point he expanded from 40 seats to about 300 (including outdoor). I made the mistake of getting too big. It took us several years to grow to our new size and finally make a little money again.
When Susan Turner ran the place it was just lunch and catering. In the early 1980s, we didn’t see many women running restaurants. Nobody did what she did. I came and changed what you see now. Upscale dining with freshly prepared food.
Both I and Susan put our children to work for us. We are all grown up now and doing our own thing.
What was your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has been managing everyone I’ve ever worked with. We have a very low turnover rate and some employees who have careers and are very happy with it.
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
I always care more about my customers and staff being happy and happy with their experience.I handle 200 people a day and if I make one bad mistake I detail it.
We change the menu daily and change the look and feel several times, always trying to evolve and improve. I have been in this business since he was 13 and am now 54. I had to lie about my age to get my first job. Even after all this time, I’m still trying to get better and learn (see Chicken Restaurant). I think that’s why we’ve lived so long.
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Golden Lighting — 40 Years
What were your early years in business like?
My father, Ingshang Liao, started this business 40 years ago. It took him ten years to find the right product at the right price for the right customer. Twenty years ago when I joined the company, it was a time of great growth and change. Every year it felt like we were reinventing the business.
What are your biggest challenges and thrills as a Tallahassee small business owner?
Building an effective team is difficult, but shared victories bring meaning and purpose to our work.
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
Even in difficult times, there are opportunities. Golden typically made difficult and transformative decisions during past recessions. They were born out of necessity, which led to a great period of growth.
Target Print & Mail — 40 Years
What were your early years in business like?
We have lived in a small 1,500 square foot place on Tennessee Avenue for 38 years. We focused primarily on colleges and universities, specifically student course packets and student print needs.
What are your biggest challenges and thrills as a Tallahassee small business owner?
The biggest challenge and thrill is managing and developing talent. In a town like Tallahassee, it can be difficult to find the skill sets you need, but it’s a lot of fun to watch team members grow and blossom, even as they move on to other markets and opportunities.
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
Creativity and adaptability. Over the last 40 years, our business has changed dramatically, keeping pace with the times and trends.
Aegis Business Technology — 25 Years
What were your early years in business like?
When I first started, it felt like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday were in my office. Full Wild West, pre-cloud, pre-cyberthreat, pre-mobile everywhere. said his CEO Blake Dowling.
What are your biggest challenges and thrills as a Tallahassee small business owner?
When staff have an anniversary, 5 years, 10 years, that’s great. Feel like a sports coach one day.When they win, you win.Our staff are so proud of everything they do. I feel the same way when my clients celebrate their anniversaries. When someone trusts your technology for 10 years, there’s no better relationship than that. When it comes to challenges, working with national institutions such as Microsoft and Apple can be difficult. Pandemic is a hard pass for me. Also, the last three years of hiring have been painful, but we’ve survived and put together the biggest, strongest team ever. Long live Team A.
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
People who have chosen this company to be their lifelong career, there are team members left and right of me for 5, 10, 15, 20 years. Also, being accountable is our culture. We arrive early and stay late. This team has no fluff. Every day, everyone works relentlessly, answering calls, selling, servicing, and marketing. I always grab it so when you call it will answer the call. that’s us. Plus, outages and cyberattacks happen so often that you need a wicked sense of humor to hang out with your crew. it is a must.
Full Press Apparel — 25 Years
What were your early years in business like?
In 1977, Danny Shrine founded a screen printing company called PDT’s with a business partner. The modest shop in his 9,000-square-foot facility on Gaines Street in Tallahassee consisted of two employees and his two manual screen printers. They started looking for opportunities to partner with other local companies on the production side. As time went on, demand began to outstrip production capacity, so it continued to grow. In 1999, the shop was officially rebranded as Full Press Apparel.Danny’s wife, Tracy Schlein, joined the business in 2006 as a partner and co-owner.
What are your biggest challenges and thrills as a Tallahassee small business owner?
Finding and retaining talented employees is the number one challenge, but finding an inventory of many products is sometimes still proving to be a challenge! The thrill is not only seeing how we help improve and enrich the lives of our employees, but also seeing our clients delight in the products we create!
What is the biggest factor in your longevity?
Our greatest contribution to our longevity is providing a consistent level of service that exceeds our customers’ expectations and keeps those repeat customers coming back year after year. Being part of the Tallahassee community is also a big part of our success. We “go all out” in Tallahassee, live by our values and treat our clients the way we want them to.
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