Interview with Tabor Cowden, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I have been involved in the bar/restaurant business for most of my adult life. I have owned more than a dozen bars/restaurants in upstate New York, including in Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. I have also had bars in North Carolina and in downtown Denver.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: The Woodeellar appeals to a large audience. We have many evening specials that include sushi nights, surf ‘n’ turf evening, burger night, raw oysters and mussels. We have created a seafood niche, as it is very difficult to get fresh or raw seafood in the mountains. Additionally, we have live music on the weekends and have a huge selections of TVs, thus you can always watch your favorite game. The other thing that separates us from other bars is the ambience and staff. We have an audience that is truly regulars, most times your beer is placed on the bar before you have time to choose your seat!
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: I love my line of work cause I get to interact with all ages of people. We have many families and/or children who come to the Woodcellar for lunch or dinner. As the evening transitions into nighttime, it turns into a more lively crowd. It is a joy to cater to such a wide range of age groups and give them an enjoyable experience.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Our biggest challenge at the Woodcellar is staffing. It is difficult in our small community to find people who care about customer service and consistency. Thus, many of my employees who become “part of our team” seem to stay for many years. We currently have a great team of staff members and our goal is to always keep it that way.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: I think the most interesting thing to learn about myself and/or my business is that I owned my first bar when I was 25 years old. The best thing about starting in this industry when I was so young is that I would not allow myself to fail. Everyone thinks that it would be entertaining to own a bar/restaurant, and do not really understand it is a job that requires a full commitment. There are no days off in this industry and many opportunities to fail. I was lucky to learn about the business when I was young man.
Profile
Business: Woodcellar Bar & Grill
Address: 1552 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen
Hours: 11 a.m.-close daily
Founded: 2009
Contact: 303-670-8448;
Employees: 25
