The Rotary Spark Podcast
Welcome to our dedicated podcast for Rotary International's District 5750, designed to connect our members through the power of personal storytelling. Each episode celebrates the unique journeys of our fellow Rotarians, highlighting their individual experiences, motivations, and the profound impact of their service.
Join us as we dive into heartfelt discussions with Rotarians from all walks of life.
The Rotary Spark Podcast
#0010 - Tim Thelin - Part II
What happens when community spirit meets culinary passion? Join us for an insightful conversation with Tim Thielen, Midwest City Rotary Club member and proud owner of Pelican's Restaurant. Tim shares how his involvement in heartwarming community events, like the Thanksgiving dinner at Autumn House, has created a profound sense of belonging and purpose. We also address the significant shifts in the restaurant landscape, from the impact of COVID-19 to the new entertainment dynamics reshaping Midwest City. Discover Tim's strategic pivot towards catering and his thoughts on adapting to changing consumer habits.
Our episode takes a delicious turn as we explore the renowned flavors of Pelican's Restaurant, where prime rib and homemade soups reign supreme. Beyond the kitchen, Tim opens up about his life as a father of six, celebrating milestones such as a new grandchild and a son's performance at Carnegie Hall. Passionate about cars, Tim's involvement with the Heartland Camaros car club reflects how shared hobbies can unite diverse communities. As the holiday season approaches, he offers both personal and professional insights, highlighting the importance of dedication and financial acumen in the restaurant industry. Tune in for a hearty blend of community, cuisine, and personal triumphs.
Welcome to the Rotary Spark Podcast. With me today I have Tim Thielen from the Midwest City Rotary Club and owner of Pelican's Restaurant. Hey, tim, thanks for coming back.
Speaker 2:Good morning Brian. Great to be here.
Speaker 1:So, tim, tell us a little bit about how you discovered Rotary and what Rotary means to you.
Speaker 2:Well, we've been helping with Rotary and you know kind of part of Rotary for a long time. We've helped with the shrimp boil, I think almost since the inaugural one. A lot of you know folks in Midwest City come to the restaurant and we've done a lot and supported Rotary over the years and I had somebody come to me and say that you all had lost your lunch person for the Monday meetings and asked if I would like to take over doing, you know, doing the food for the Rotary meeting on Mondays.
Speaker 2:And I said, sure, that sounds like a good deal, and that first meeting. And I said, sure, that sounds like a good deal, and that first meeting. After going through that and hearing you know what they had to say, the start of the meeting, you know, I just really liked how they started everything with a prayer, with the Pledge of Allegiance, the.
Speaker 1:Rotary 4-Way Test. You know after just being part of that and seeing that I went home that first day and told my wife. I said I think this is meant to be.
Speaker 2:I said, this is a place where I think I'm supposed to be. This seems like a really good organization to be a part of good people, a lot of people I know already and doing a lot of good things.
Speaker 1:Are there any projects that you are working on with the Midwest City Rotary Club right now?
Speaker 2:are working on with the Midwest City Rotary Club right now. We have the Thanksgiving dinner coming up at Autumn House this next week. I'm helping to do some of the food for that, as well as our own Christmas party coming up. They're not really a project that we have, but we do have an event coming up for our Christmas party and I've been asked to do the food for that and I'm not really sure what else we've got going on at the moment.
Speaker 1:Can you tell us a little bit more about the Autumn House?
Speaker 2:Autumn House is a retirement community. Sherry is one of our members runs that over there and I think it was was it the Interact kids that talked to Chili about doing that and serving a.
Speaker 2:Thanksgiving dinner for them over there and so we've gotten together. I know a lot of the members have signed up to volunteer to bring things and I told Chili that I could help with the meat. You know, having the restaurant it's easy to fix that and, you know, easy to help out and do that part and let them take care of the sides and kind of coordinate and all of it and it takes one big, you know big chunk of it off their plate up a bend in Chile.
Speaker 1:That's great. Tell us a little bit more about your industry as a whole. What were, what are, what were some of the challenges that you had building your business? Oh gosh restaurant business it's not for the faint of heart, for sure you know it's up and down.
Speaker 2:You know things lately seem more like they did back in the beginning, when Pelicans first opened and we've been open since 1980.
Speaker 2:I've been involved there since 1984. I know my partner got to know him by babysitting his kids actually and got brought in back in the early days of Pelicans and, like I said, you know kind of businesses up and down and you know, as we got more established we had probably about a 15-20 year stretch where you could almost set your watch to how many people were going to be in on a certain day and then as the dynamics of Midwest City started to change, the mall shut down, things moved down towards the Air Force Base, down towards the highway and 29th Street. You know our business has changed. Bricktown has had a massive effect on people's habits. Eating out Our holidays aren't quite as busy as they used to be. You know, when there's big events going on down in Bricktown on the weekends and stuff that seems to take a lot of people away. That's one thing we've noticed here recently. You know businesses seem to come back up a little bit but the weekends are kind of slower than they used to be the lunches and
Speaker 2:dinners during the week, about the same. But the weekends have kind of slowed down and you know I attribute that to there's just there's a lot more going on in Oklahoma City these days. We've got a lot more things to do, a lot more, you know new entertainment districts here and there that have come up and you know just, there's just a lot more to do. And you know people don't just hang around the Midwest City area, they want to go experience what Oklahoma City has to offer. And that's again. You know we're kind of out of the way in Midwest City too, whereas the mall used to be kind of the center of the shopping in Midwest City along Reno, there you had Walmart, target and then the mall, and now you have a couple grocery stores and everything else has moved down there to 29th Street. So it's really kind of changed the dynamic and we've concentrated a lot more on catering, doing things outside the restaurant, just to compensate for that loss of business on the weekends.
Speaker 2:But you know things overall are looking pretty good. You know, covid really took a toll on us and they really seemed to change people's eating habits, you know, going out a lot more deliveries, a lot more to-go orders than we used to do. We have customers that really I've got a few customers that we're just starting to see come back in the restaurant, you know, after they, you know, stayed out from COVID. So you know, I think that's just that took a toll on a lot of businesses and you know, just really, kind of changed, I think the dynamic of how everybody goes out, you know, just really is.
Speaker 2:Things aren't like they were before, for sure, but you know we just got to adapt and move on, just like anything else. You know things are going to change, things are going to progress, different things come up and if you're going to survive you're going to have to adapt to it and move along with it some of the changes, at least within the last couple of years.
Speaker 1:What, if anything, do you think that businesses, consumers or really anyone in between can do to collaborate to bring more business into Midwest City or at least kind of smooth the transition out to the next phase of development?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that's just it. With all the development that's going on and with us getting more amenities and more things to do in Midwest City, that kind of does help keep people in Midwest City. You know, you've got movie theaters available sports venues whatever that are closer to you.
Speaker 2:You know you utilize that versus, you know, driving across town to go see movies or driving across town because you want to go, you know, to a certain area where there's a lot of restaurants. You know, we've always kind of felt that if years ago, that seemed to be the thing you know.
Speaker 2:Everybody would always say oh, if you want a good meal, you know there's nothing good in Midwest City, you know, and a few people go oh, don't you Pelicans? And you know I was always. Oh, yeah, I forget about Pelicans. You know they're all the way up there, on up there by the mall. You know, and you know people outside of Midwest City too that kind of forget that we're at. It's just not a well-traveled spot. Reno gets quite a bit of traffic but we're just far enough back. And with the decor of the restaurant, with that wharf house look on the outside, that weathered cedar it just kind of blends in with the background.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I have noticed that ground. Yeah, no, I have noticed that. I do, personally. I do like the way that it looks, but I could see from a newcomer's perspective. It may just look like it's blending into the scenery.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's, that's been tough and that's one of the things. We've always tried to have some neon up. Lately I did some bright like cobalt blue rope lighting that we put up and that that helps. You know, especially in the evening I really makes that, uh, you know, really makes the building pop and, you know, stand out and that's that's definitely important, so people can find this.
Speaker 1:Are there any events coming up in uh or at Pelicans and also maybe as a self plug uh, talk about uh one or two of your favorite meals at Pelicans.
Speaker 2:Upcoming. You know, of course, it's holiday season, so we're geared up for Christmas parties. Holiday parties We've got quite a few that are booked, but there's still, you know, space available. Again, catering, doing a lot of catering for people, for Christmas parties. One of our most popular items, our prime rib, that's always been something that we've always, you know, tried to highlight and, you know, tell people that it's just hands down.
Speaker 2:It's one of the best prime ribs I think you'll eat anywhere. We have a specific piece of equipment that is used for cooking you know, slow cooking roasts and meats and it really makes a difference than just cooking it straight in an oven, plus using all you know, top quality choice black Angus beef. That really helps out. The flavor is outstanding. The slow cook process that we use 99% of the time it is just tender mouth to mouth.
Speaker 2:You know we do get that occasionally, even with the black Angus. You know occasionally might get a tough piece in here or there, but very few and far between and especially, like I said, with the process that we do to cook. Cook that primary a bit really, you know, makes it nice and tender. I'd say probably our chicken tenders. That's something that has always been a huge seller, been a very popular item. Hawaiian chicken you know those are probably three of our most signature items.
Speaker 2:I think that people come in and know us, for the Hawaiian chicken is a teriyaki chicken and that's really good. That's a really good catering item that we do for a lot of folks. I just had one last night and that was one of the items they ordered. It was a big hit.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks for sharing that. I haven't tried too many things. I love your burgers and your salads are fantastic, so I'll definitely have to check out you know the prime rib and chicken tenders and yeah, no, I appreciate you kind of putting that seed of thought into my mind. Yeah, definitely, Salad bar. I should have met you. I'm glad you kind of putting that seed of thought into my mind.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely Salad bar. I'm glad you mentioned that, because that's another thing that we're known for our salad bar, not a buffet, it's a true salad bar. It is salad and you know the toppings and fixings that you would put on salad. And then we do have homemade soups all the time that are out there.
Speaker 1:But that's definitely one of the things. Things too, that's put us on the map.
Speaker 2:People have always liked our salad bar. I think we've gotten a mention a few times in the Gazette for best salad bar runner up for best salad bar and, like I said, even though it is just a strictly a salad bar, there's no, we don't do you know entrees out there or anything like that for a buffet, but is included with all the dinner items that we the dinner entrees that we serve, as well as at lunchtime a lot of people come in and just get the soup and salad bar for a meal at lunch. It's a quick, easy bite. Everything's always nice and fresh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, thank you for the promo. Anyone in Midwest City or outside of Midwest City check out Pelican's Restaurant. I've had great experiences and I know personally from the other people that you know join us for board meetings or any uh customers that come in there, that everyone's generally pleased. So, yeah, thanks for sharing that. Tim, welcome, uh, let's see so, um, not one, that's great. On going over to the personal, but just out of curiosity, what are some things that you and or your family kind of do in your, I don't know, balance you out and make Tim Tim.
Speaker 2:One thing we enjoy doing. We're involved in a Heartland Camaros car club here in Oklahoma City and we try to do a lot of events with them.
Speaker 2:That's something that I enjoy doing, I enjoy getting out and driving and that's a fun thing that we do. My wife has, graciously, you know, become more involved in that and you know she enjoys the people that are there and she's become more involved in that. She enjoys the people that are there and she's become more involved. I don't know how enthused she was at first when I told her that I wanted to go hang out with these car people. She didn't know she'd have enough.
Speaker 2:in common with them, she's found that we've got people in that, just kind of like Rotary, from all different walks of life, just a fun atmosphere to be in. Other than that, I've got six kids, so that keeps me busy running around and keeping up with them. My oldest just had my first grandchild. She just turned one this past summer.
Speaker 1:Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 2:I have two kids currently in college, one's at OSU. He keeps me on my toes with stuff he just started. He's a freshman and he's just going to pursue with a plant and soil science degree, but she's working on her master's doing research and has gotten to go to. Scotland and present her research Been to San Antonio and I think she said she's going to California later on for another presentation that she's going to do.
Speaker 1:She seems to be really liking it.
Speaker 2:She'll graduate and have all that stuff done this next spring. Another son here in Oklahoma City works for UPS and I've got one in high school. Still, he's my musician. My other boys were my sports kids. My son Ace and he's my musician. He's a very, very good oboe player. Son Ace and he's my musician. He's a very, very good oboe player.
Speaker 2:Just made first chair for the South Central Oklahoma Directors Association honor band as well, as he's involved in a couple others. He's actually going to be going with the Choctaw High School band to a competition at Carnegie Hall in the springtime, and so that's something we're looking forward to is getting to travel to New York City. I've never been, my wife's never been, so we're excited about that. And then that brings me to my wife and I have a little one, ethan. He's pre-K, going to be five in January, so that guy keeps us on our toes for sure. So if I'm not doing stuff with kids, it's uh, it's usually restaurant stuff or, you know, fixing things around the house.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm excited about your New York trip. I used to go almost every year as a kid. My family's from Brooklyn, Uh, so you know, offline I'm more than happy to give you as many or as little recommendations as you'd like. And uh, just curious uh, for our non-car people, tell us a little bit more about, uh, the heartland, uh camaro thing that you were discussing okay, it's, uh, it's just a great.
Speaker 2:It's heartland camaro, so it's what it is, it's a camaro club. Uh, we do a few things. Uh, again, you know, kind of like rotor, we always put together a couple of charity events each year, maybe have a car show I think we've got another car show planned again for next year and then usually involved with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots and we usually do the toy drive each year for that.
Speaker 2:But it's just a fun group, everybody has a Camaro in there, from the first-gen, you know 1967 on up to you know brand new ones. We've got a guy that has a specialty Yanko Tribute 1,200 horsepower Camaro. So I mean, it's everything from people with you know Camaros that have the four cylinders, six cylinders, all the way up to this guy that's got a crazy 1,200 horsepower Yanko tribute car and it's beautiful. I wish I could afford something like that One of these days maybe.
Speaker 1:Thank you for that information. Let's see so. Any plans for the holidays oh, probably just hanging around.
Speaker 2:My kids are coming back that are out of town. My son will be back from Stillwater, my daughter will be back from Tennessee Thanksgiving. My sister's actually coming down from Minnesota with her kids, so we'll get to have the whole family together. That doesn't happen too often around the holidays, where I get to see my sister and her kids too, so I know my mom's excited about that, about that.
Speaker 2:And then my sister's married to Chris, his nephew of one of the girls that was one of my managers years ago, and her family and ours, we've always been real close, even before they got together, but you know, we have a kind of extended family with that and they're still down here, so we'll all get together and have some fun and Sue Chris's aunt always has all the kids come out and stay at her house and they bake cookies and then do a bunch of stuff usually the day after Thanksgiving. So I know all my kids are looking forward to that. My daughter loves to do that. She'll be there with some of her other cousins and they'll have a lot of fun with that.
Speaker 1:That's great. I'm happy that you guys have a full schedule, so I guess last thought that I have come to mind any tips for people that are brave enough to enter the restaurant industry.
Speaker 2:I'm just being prepared for a lot of hard. But you know, I think that's with any, you know, with any business that you're going to get into, if you're going to make it successful, you're going to have to pour your heart into it. You're going to definitely pour your time into it. Be, you know, committed and ready to be there 24-7 when you have to be. That's you know.
Speaker 1:I get that a lot from people these days.
Speaker 2:You know, they'll tell me well, you're always out of town, you're never working, are you? And I say no, it's just that you happen to see me on Facebook and I'm out of town for the weekend, and the last time I was out of town last month, I haven't had a day off between times, so you know it's kind of deceiving. Yeah, I like to get out whenever I can, and usually I run so that I'm away where nobody can get a hold of me.
Speaker 2:It's a fun business, but definitely something, I think, if you're not very passionate about, I see why so many fail?
Speaker 2:quickly.
Speaker 2:People either aren't prepared for the long hours, prepared for the work they have to put into it or, a lot of times, to not not not have enough funding to get through those first few months.
Speaker 2:They may be the busiest months that you open up, but with everything that you're going through training staff, you know, going through menu items, you know teaching, you know your staff to cook the menu items and and doing all that, you expend a lot of money up front that I think a lot of people don't realize. You know they think, oh, we're going to open up, all these things will come in. You know we're going to run this good food cost and it might look good on paper but in actuality, you know, when things actually go down, you're probably cooking a lot more food up that you're not going to recoup any money for because it's all in training, training the staff that you're paying, while you're not open to get everything ready. So there's a pretty good amount of you know cost up front with that and I think a lot of people aren't ready for that and don't have the cash flow necessary to sustain themselves for, you know, for a length of time.
Speaker 1:That's really good input. The time, that's really good input. It's one of my favorite things about Rotary and any professional organization that I've been exposed to is you really get to connect with people that have been through most, if not all, of it first. So no thanks for that input. Well, thanks for coming out, tim. I really appreciate it. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Almonte Library for letting us use this space. Thanks to ITSpark for being the brains behind this thing, and also thank you to Rotary International and District 5750 specifically for supporting this adventure. Happy holidays, everyone, and have a great day.
