Here is the next of our monthly interviews.

This interview took place at Dogwood on Peachtree St.  I would like to thank owners Scott Black and Shane Touhy for taking time out of their busy day to sit down and talk with me.  The restaurant is a beautiful space that is modern, yet very warm, as soon as you walk in the door there is a feeling of southern hospitality.

Take a look at the web site www.dogwoodrestaurant.com

Tell us about your restaurant, how long you have been open, how many employees, season, % liquor food sales, % cash vs. credit card, Theme, live music. (a quick overview of you business).

The menu is New Southern Cuisine, we both draw on our experience and southern upbringing to provide great southern food and that famous southern hospitality.  The restaurant has 35 employees, does about 75% food to 25 % beverage, and we are closed on Sundays.

Where did you get the concept for your menu?

We drew from our experience of working and growing up in the south and Shane is a J&W Charleston Grad.  Before we opened we worked at some great restaurants, Bones and Blue Ridge Grill to name a couple.

In 5 words, why do your customers visit your restaurant?

Quality, convenience, Professionalism, Service, Food, Hospitality

Ok we’ll go with 6

What have your biggest challenges been in opening your restaurant, running it, and how did you overcome them?

The economy and slow down that the restaurant industry has experienced in the last year has been tough for all restaurants to deal with.  We have overcome these challenges by bringing lots of experience to the business, we run a tight restaurant with very little waste and good control of staffing both FOH and BOH.  Also, we offer great value on our menu and we do some special promotions, “dinner and a show.”

What unexpected problems or successes have you encountered this year?

We will go with a success on this question.  Since opening we were able to hire a great quality staff both FOH and BOH, the core of people that we hired has made the opening and the operation of the restaurant much smoother than it could have been.

In your original vision of your restaurant, what have you changed to meet your customer’s needs?

We now offer some deals on dinner with local shows, we have a seasonal menu to keep things interesting and fresh, our wine list changed pretty quickly to reflect the customer wants and needs, specifically the lower cost wines were not selling so we added more middle tier bottles in the 60 to 80 dollar price range.  We now have a wine list of 130 bottles.

What do you attribute your success to?

Hard work, experience, willingness to learn, and adapt.

Who are your customers?

Local business people, business travelers, theater goers, destination birthdays and special events, and a good core of regulars that we have been able to cultivate in the last 4 months.

What challenges do you see for the near future of the restaurant business and your business?

The economy is what is on everyone’s mind, but we see a turn around coming in the near future.

With the economy in disarray, do you have a plan in place for the future, if so what are you going to do to ensure your success and that of your employees?

Our plan is in place right now, control spending, key employees are on salary, control staffing costs as in not over staffing.  FOH we keep enough people on the floor for them to make decent money without sacrificing hospitality.

What is your turnover rate?

It’s pretty low, 10% FOH 15% BOH.

How do you find new employees?

Referrals from staff, form there we go online.

Do you have a specific training program?

Yes, 1 week for FOH employees.

When you are not eating at your restaurant, where do you eat?

SB French American Bistro, Marlows Tavern, Hole in the wall BBQ.

ST French American Bistro, Rathbuns Steak, Beliza.

What is your favorite food, wine, beer, liquor.

SB Southern comfort food, Shiraz big bold better, Terrapin Rye, Grand Marnier.

ST Pig, Cab’s, Terrapin, Balvinie 12.

If I knew then what I know now…..

                I would____________........

SB Done this sooner, taken marketing classes.

ST Done it earlier.

If you could do it all over again, would you?

YES/YES