New Fore Seasons Owner - Tyrus Mulkey

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Yes he is a Fireman, the newest member of the acclaimed HLR VFD, & he spent the last week at A&M for extensive training in modern fire-fighting techniques. He is dedicated to HLR and to the success of his new business venture, the 19th Hole and Fore Seasons Restaurant. He pledges to bring new ideas from his long background in the food service industry and brings "fresh money" to the venture. He purchased the business from former owner, John Livingston. It will have his un-divided attention, except when he is helping to save your house from a burning inferno. His mother and sister are current Ranch residents. W.C.

 

Greetings! My name is Tyrus Mulkey and I am the new owner/operator of the Fore Seasons Restaurant and the 19th Hole. You may have heard that the restaurant has been closed and has changed hands. But you probably haven't heard much about me. I'm new to Holly Lake and I haven't had a chance to meet everyone yet so I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you a little about me and my plans for the restaurant.

 

I was born in San Angelo and grew up in Plano. After high school, I spent a couple of years attending Texas Tech and then a year at UT in Austin. In 1987, I moved to Las Vegas, NV and attended UNLV, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration. At that time, the Hotel College included all aspects of hotel, food & beverage, and gaming. I ended up staying in Las Vegas for just over twenty years, working in the hospitality industry both downtown and on the Strip. In 1999, I started a small Internet business selling gaming collectables. It started small, but by 2004 I was able to quit my full-time job. I stayed self employed until December of 2007. At that time, I closed my business and moved back to Texas.


The decision to close the business in Las Vegas wasn't easy. I had poured my heart and soul into it and I absolutely loved it. The business was successful, but things in Las Vegas had changed. The town had become too big for my taste and I started to become very homesick. I can't really put my finger on why I felt it, but I knew it was time to come home. Twenty years in Vegas was a great chapter in my life, but Texas was calling.

I had been to Holly Lake Ranch many times to visit. My mom has lived here for twelve years and one of my older sisters and her two daughters have lived here for three. Dallas is too big for me and as much as I loved Austin back in the mid-80's, it's changed, too! I was ready for the quiet life. Holly Lake seemed like the perfect place so I purchased a house here. I knew that I would retire here, I just wasn't sure what I was going to do for the next twenty years. I was confident that something would turn up though, and my original plan was to take a year off and unwind.

Shortly after I moved here, I joined the Fire Department. It just seemed like the right thing to do. As a resident of Nevada, I often saw the news footage of the wildfires in Southern California. Now that I was living in a heavily wooded area, I wanted to volunteer to assist in any way to prevent a large fire from destroying Holly Lake. Once I became a member of the HLVFD, I discovered that there is so much more to being a fire fighter than just preparing for the ‘big one'. I was able to assist with support for the trained fire fighters on the department, but I couldn't fight fires until I was properly trained myself. There's a lot more to it than just putting water on a flame. So I registered, through the HLVFD, for a week of training at Texas A&M's Fire Training School. As time went by, I was able to get some training in at area schools and through our own department, which allowed me to transfer into the tanker division. At about that time, the restaurant became available and I struck a deal with John to purchase it.

The timing for the weeklong school at A&M couldn't have been worse. But, when I originally made the plans to attend, I had no idea about the restaurant deal. And I wasn't about to back out of the Fire Training School. Instead, I got the paperwork for permits, licenses, and taxes started and then I left for College Station. I took my laptop and planned on getting some work done during breaks and in the evenings, but I had no idea how intense the training was! Instead of getting any work done, I just relaxed and hydrated during my breaks and then had dinner and went straight to bed at the end of the day. Only once did I have the energy to get online and see how things were progressing. That's about all the work I was able to do. I'm very impressed with the level of training at A&M and I learned a lot. I was even able to apply my training the day after I returned when we had a structure fire on the Ranch. Since then, though, I've been working non-stop on getting the doors to the Fore Seasons re-opened.

That's the story on how I ended up in Holly Lake and why the doors have been closed for so many weeks. Now we're getting to the good part - my plans for the restaurant! But first, a little about my restaurant background. There's the degree from UNLV, where I trained not only in a classroom environment in subjects like recipe costing, food control, management and such, but I also had quite a bit of hands-on participation in some impressive labs. Part of the curriculum was to spend a semester where we ran a restaurant on campus and concessions at sporting events. We toured the large operations on the Strip and had interactions on campus with alumni in the industry. In addition, my actual restaurant experience dates back to the late 1970's. I have worked in several types of establishments, from a small mom and pop deli to a nationwide, corporate-run chain. In each restaurant where I worked, I always studied what worked and what didn't work and I prided myself on paying close attention to the detail work of different owners and managers.

My plans for the Fore Seasons and the 19th Hole are still a bit fluid. As I meet the homeowners on the Ranch and discuss my ideas with them, I'm happy to hear about what's important to them. I've heard a bit about the history of the restaurant and some of the traditions that people would like to see me continue. I've also heard a little about some changes that some would like. While I appreciate the history, I am more focused on the future. Looking forward and making plans are what I'm concentrating on.

I dream of a place where everyone on the Ranch is welcome. Where everyone knows they can go at any time and on any day (except Tuesday) and they'll be amongst friends and fellow residents. I want not only individuals to be welcome, but all of the great groups and clubs located here to know they have a friendly and comfortable place to meet. The Fore Seasons will be more than a restaurant. It will be a home away from home - a social atmosphere where you can gather with your neighbors and friends.

We will have a core menu of meals that you can rely on. You'll know that you can show up and get good food at a good price and that it will be consistent. There will be nightly specials, also. We'll do some experimenting with the food in the beginning to see what's popular and what's not, and once we get a few specialties locked in, we'll slowly expand the menu. In the beginning, though, we'll keep it small until we can guarantee that we've got the quality and consistency just right. Once we've mastered each item, we'll add them to the menu. Food quality, food consistency, and customer service will be the top three priorities.

Availability is also important. In order to maximize the facility, some changes in hours and setup are necessary. We'll be closed on Tuesdays. You'll likely find me kayaking on one of our lakes every Tuesday! Hey, I need a day off! Plus, I have obligations with the Fire Department on Tuesdays. We'll be open the other six days each week, though, and the hours will depend on the area of the building. The building will be divided into three areas: the Fore Seasons, the 19th Hole, and the Snack Bar.

The Fore Seasons
The Fore Seasons is the main restaurant area. It will be a non-smoking facility located in the large room and will be open from 7 AM until 9 PM. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served. Cocktails will be available in the Fore Seasons. The room is large and will easily accommodate groups and clubs that would like to meet there during the morning and daytime hours. You will not find a "No Loitering" sign here. Come on in and stay a while. It will also be available for private functions and special events. Weddings, receptions, family reunions, and most other large groups are welcome with an advanced reservation.

The 19th Hole
The 19th Hole is the bar area. It will be a smoking facility located in the smaller room and will be open from noon until 9 PM (10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays). Food service from the Fore Seasons menu will be available in the 19th Hole.

The Snack Bar
The snack bar is something new. It will be located on the back porch of the building, close to the putting green and the Pro Shop. Hours will be from 7:30 AM until 3:00 PM. It will be a stadium concession stand type area offering prepared and packaged items. Cold drinks, hot dogs, energy bars, chips, sandwiches and more will be available for quick pick up either before your game or on the turn. In the morning, breakfast bars and sandwiches will also be available, as well as coffee. In the colder months, we'll have hot chocolate and soups to keep you warm. If you would like a burger or any item from the menu, you'll be able to place your order before you tee off and it will be freshly prepared and ready before you arrive when making the turn or at the end of your game.

Of course, as with any business, some of these things may have to change depending on demand. This is the plan and I hope it works. Once we get the doors open, we'll be able to see if the hours are right and if the vision is in focus. I've only been in town a few months and I may have missed the mark on this. I've done it before! But I am happy to hear your comments - both positive and negative - and I will do what I can to make things right. Please stop by and say hello and let me know what you think. We will be open 86 hours a week and I will probably be there most of that time for the rest of this year. I look forward to meeting you. Please accept my invitation to join us.

Although I can't guarantee it right now, we are shooting to open on Wednesday, August 6th. There is still a lot of work to be done and several things can cause a delay. We are working to get the doors open as soon as possible because I believe the restaurants are a valuable amenity to living on the Ranch. Please stop by - I look forward to meeting you.

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 April 2009 15:25