Executive Profile:Jim and Connie Hasley.
Ages:59 and 56, respectively.
Job:Both are restaurant bar/owners, and Connie also is a transcriptionist at Mayo Clinic.
Company:In 2006, we chose to follow our lifelong dream of owning our own business when we purchased a restaurant on Lake Zumbro formerly named Fun City. With the help of our daughters and their spouses, we worked and brainstormed ideas on how to make the restaurant uniquely ours. Our love of family, traveling together and just plain hanging out together became the inspiration for the decor, the new name and the overall philosophy. We named our restaurant Party Cove while on a family snowmobile trip. A popular Craig Morgan song's lyrics reminded us of a long-time favorite activity, boating on our pontoon during the summer time: "Meet us out at Party Cove." The restaurant sits cozily in a cove on Lake Zumbro and provides docks for pontoon and boats. The business is family owned and family run — customers will meet and be served by Connie, Jim or one of their daughters.
Education:We are both Mayo High School graduates.
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Experience:In the 1980s, Jim and Connie used to help Connie’s brother, Tracy, at a restaurant he owned on Lake Zumbro. They found great pleasure in helping out a family member by bartending, serving customers or playing in the band. Tracy had a band that played every weekend at his restaurant. At times, Jim would play the drums, while Connie sang and played guitar. Their daughters would sing a country song or two every now and then. This experience is what sparked the idea of one day owning a restaurant. Jim recently retired from Minnesota Energy, and Connie was a stay-at-home mom until the girls began school, and then she operated an in-home day-care center. Later, she worked at Kemps. Connie now works part-time at Mayo Clinic, while trying to balance the responsibilities of a restaurant.
What book, website, television show or movie has left a big impression on you within the past year, and why: Watching the movie "Blind Side" left a big impression on us. Michael Oher is an inspiration to all of us. He reminds us that you can rise above any tragedies or obstacles that you have in life, with the help of others.
Do you use social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter?Not at this time. It’s just not something we’ve taken the time to figure out.
What’s your business philosophy, if you could distill it to one paragraph?We want our customers to feel valued, comfortable and satisfied each time they visit Party Cove. We work to provide a relaxed atmosphere, where people can eat, drink and be merry. We pride ourselves on our simple, yet delicious menu of Friday night fish fry, broasted chicken, many seafood and steak dinners and a full soup and salad bar. We love to call you by name when you enter.
How did you first get into the restaurant business? We sought ownership of Fun City in 2006. Rick and Mary Chapman, former owners, weren’t sure they were prepared to retire from the restaurant business when we first approached them but came to us later, ready to sell. We worked the final two months alongside Rick and Mary to learn from them. Our doors officially opened in the summer 2006. We nervously took the reins and headed into this adventure with anxiety and excitement. We have learned so much in the last few years about owning a business. It’s an incredible learning curve.
What type of atmosphere do you seek to create inside your restaurant?As soon as you enter Party Cove, we want you to feel comfortable and relaxed. We offer a casual atmosphere, with a side of fun. We want you to feel like you’re coming home. A 500 Card club, Wii bowling league, bingo, Halloween parties, private parties and karaoke are some of the activities we offer.
What's the most rewarding part of your work? The most obvious answer is the people. Our customers make going to work fun and enjoyable. People come to our restaurant to relax and hang out. We are proud to provide a comfortable place where our Lake Zumbro residents, Rochester residents and small town friends can come for a bite to eat or a night of fun. Check out our website, www.partycovebar.com.
