That’s the sliding scale of success we mindlessly apply to businesses and even people – somehow, seeming bigger and flashier generally equates to being better and more successful.
It’s always in the back of our minds, I think, wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence, knowing that we probably can’t get there anyway, but…
That’s what popped into my head as I read this month’s cover story, which pries open the doors of hidden neighborhood restaurant gems, all of which – not surprisingly, perhaps – are owned and operated by individuals or families who have invested just about everything they have in their dining spots.
We’ve checked out each of these places, and while we can’t guarantee they’re going to become your favorites, we can guarantee you won’t experience anything like what they’re offering anywhere else.
Some of these places are so small, it has to be hard to eke out a living. Others are so specialized, it has to be challenging trying to build a profitable following. Still others have potential to be bigger and better, but maybe that’s not what the owners have in mind.
Perhaps the next great Chili’s or TGIFriday’s concept is right here in our pages this month, just waiting for the right opportunity to bust out.
And perhaps the next Dean Fearing or Stephan Pyles was quoted in this month’s story talking about the success he or she is having on a small scale.
In fact, maybe someone needs to tell these people to kick it into the next gear, to do something dramatic and drastic in their lives to reach the next level. And maybe they should.
But who’s to say that bigger is always better, or that more famous is better than not famous at all?
Look at Britney Spears and Whitney Houston. Look at Enron and Montgomery Ward.
There’s nothing wrong with being small and great. That’s hard enough to accomplish in itself, and it’s worth celebrating today and every day.
Check these restaurants out if you get a chance, tell the owners you read about them here, and let them know what you think. They’re people who still remember where they came from, and they seem happy to be where they are, however big or small that turns out to be.
