FSR magazine April 2018

Perspectives
night. The concept—which was designed
to have a “very Oklahoma bar vibe”—
boasts a lineup of down-to-earth cocktails
at approachable prices. “Sometimes
with craft cocktails, there’s this
pretentiousness that comes along with
that, and we don’t do that,” she says.
“That’s not who we are.” Instead, Ponyboy
focuses on locally sourced, recognizable
ingredients and a level of service
that makes bar-goers feel right at home.
Under the 84 Hospitality Group
umbrella, Cope’s handful of concepts
each have distinct personalities and
offerings but share the same guest
experience, atmosphere, and friendly
price point. Each location also places an
emphasis on putting employees first—
a mission that became close to Cope’s
heart after noticing that turnover at her
restaurants was unusually high. “I’m in a
city where there’s only so many people to
choose from, so I started thinking, ‘How
do I eliminate people leaving? How can
I make them see that waiting tables is
not just temporary—that this could be
a career?’” she says.
She quickly found her answer after
hiring a chief cultural officer, Anthony
Dobey, late last year. Together, they
worked to put an employee incentive
program in place, in which they offer
the group’s more than 300 employees
the tools they need to not only grow in
their careers, but also to grow as people.
The program includes perks like $10
haircuts, gym memberships and discounted
yoga classes, free movies at the
local theater, and a partnership with a
nearby bank, where bank employees give
talks on such topics as building credit
and opening a savings account. As with
the greater restaurant industry, 84 Hospitality
Group attracts young employees,
who Cope says are roughly between
the ages of 17 and 28. “When I was that
age, I wish somebody would have taught
me what we’re trying to teach them now,”
she says.
Though exact figures aren’t available
yet, Cope estimates that 84 Hospitality’s
turnover rates have fallen by 25 percent
since enacting the incentive program. As
she points out, a restaurant’s employees
are its best advocates since they are the
ones interacting with the guests. Cope
wants that enthusiasm for the company
and the city to shine through.
Also crucial for Cope: continuing to
deliver on guests’ expectations for new
and exciting concepts. “Now we feel an
obligation—in a good way—to keep
bringing cool things here,” she says of
84 Hospitality’s role in the Oklahoma
City dining scene. “It feels really good for
people to say, ‘What are you guys going
to do next?’”
And although she has considered
branching outside OKC to put her stamp
on other markets across the country,
Cope remains dedicated to the restaurant
industry in her home state.
“I would love to do something somewhere
else,” she says. “But am I ready to
let go of what’s happening in the city and
put myself in another market and try to
drive it there? I don’t know. I just need to
finish what we started here.”
Chris NguyeN
Although cope is open to future expAnsion beyond oklAhomA city, she is committed to driving the mArket with unique
concepts like ponyboy (top right), which speciAlizes in locAl fAre, And revolución with tAcos And ceviche (bottom right).
74 April 2018 FOODNEWSFEED.cOm