Page 44 - The Peorian, Vol 3 Issue 2
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“We don’t cut corners in any
way or aspect,” Mohlenbrink
says, crediting collaboration
with his head chef. “We’ve had
success. There’s no reason to
change things at this point.”
In the slow season, he now
employs 70 people full- or part-
time. Weddings and big events
are regular occurrences, so the
busy season may require another
15 part-timers. That corporate
background enables him to level
with staffers: Winter hours may
be short; summer hours will be
long. Apparently, they agree.
“There’s no turnover rate
here,” says general manager
Marla Yeh, just the second
person to hold that job with
Mohlenbrink. “Nobody leaves.”
She likes to consider herself
the right hand of a boss who
remembers birthdays, actually
listens to her opinions and then
acts on them. Making money
is not their goal, she says, but
bringing “the next element of
fun” to Peoria.
“The man doesn’t sleep,” says
Yeh. “I only know this because
he e-mails at all hours of the day
and night.”
Actually, Mohlenbrink
says, he sleeps five hours a
night. So it has been no big
deal to squeeze in the Peoria
Area Chamber of Commerce
Community Leadership School
recently. Just before finishing
her stint as interim Chamber
president, restaurateur Mary
Ardapple said the school makes
an “exceptional” platform for
expansion.
“Travis has established each
of his business outlets, Cracked
Pepper, Salt and now Sugar
with an individualized style,”
Ardapple says via email. “These
eclectic styles handsomely
contribute to the uniqueness
and personality of a community
which resonates both to the local
and visiting market.”
In fact, Ardapple says, the
ensuing upbeat tempo in thriving
neighborhoods is the root of
community.
The sentiment seems to
resonate with Mohlenbrink
as he designs his next venture
downtown. Although he never
imagined owning and operating
restaurants, and swears each will
be the last, he says he’s caught
the bug.
“Last night was the epitome
of why I do this: Happy people
having a happy time together,”
he says of the St. Jude dinner.
“Good food. Good wine. Raising
money for a cause that’s near and
dear to my heart.” So we’ll see if
this Thyme is it.
