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Serving the Red Lake and Ear FallsArea of Northwestern Ontario |
Success Story #4PAT DORNAN NO LONGER A BANKER, BUT SHE’S STILL BUSY MAKING CHANGE Making the move from a long career in banking to having others bank on you to revive a run down restaurant and hotel might seem like a huge leap of faith. But Pat Dornan was more than willing to jump in with both feet to try to make her pet project a success. Now, some three years after making that leap, the newly renovated Hotel 105 Bar and Grill in Ear Falls stands as a tribute to Dornan’s inspiration... and perspiration! “I had the dream to do it, a drive to do it, and just went for it,” smiles Pat, adding “even if people think you’re crazy and ask you ‘what makes you think you can make it run better?’ It was pretty run down, and I just said ‘you know what, I just know it’s going to happen’...and it did!” Pat Dornan moved to Ear Falls from Winnipeg with her family as a child about 35 years ago. She and husband Doug, who hails from Ear Falls, are the parents of three children. Daughter Angela Winsor is the kitchen manager and a full time cook at the Hotel 105 Restaurant. The couple also have an 18 year old daughter, Brooke, and a 14 year old son, Brad. Pat is quick to rhyme off her reasons for preferring the Ear Falls area as the countryside and the wildlife. “Here, you’ve got everything that you can do...snow machine, fish,” says Dornan, who adds “we have a cottage, so it’s nice to get away there...and my husband does a lot of hunting and that kind of thing.” He’s also pretty good with a hammer and other such implements of construction. Pat says she found that out while the extensive renovations were going on. Plus, he’s been chipping in while not at his full-time job as a Supervisor for Ontario Power Generation. “He’s our little handy man,” chuckles his wife, telling us that Doug has a “Honey-do list everyday.” And Pat tells us he wasn’t the only one to lend a helping hand during the renovation process. “The community’s been really good to us. Right from the get go,” marvels Dornan, illustrating her point by mentioning that “when we were renovating, we had people come off the street and ask us if they could help.” Now, the wood-accentuated restaurant is spacious, bright, and welcoming. The decor isn’t the only thing in the restaurant to get a makeover. Perhaps the biggest change has come to the menu. Burgers and fries dominated the culinary landscape at this location. “We’ve got an awesome menu,” boasts Pat, pointing out proudly that her restaurant has won an Eat Smart! Award the past couple of years. Soups and salads are highlighted. It’s all part of diverse choice of food offerings. “Nobody in town did pasta, and we do pasta,” explains Dornan, adding “even pizza wasn’t really big around here either. The chicken tetrazzini is a big hit here as well, and you can get cappelletti. But while the emphasis is on healthy eating, lovers of ‘comfort food’ can still find their favourites. Yes, fries are still available, and one of the big sellers at the restaurant is the Philly Cheese Steak. Customers, be they locals or visitors, have taken notice. “People come from all over for the food,” says Pat. As for the future of the business, Pat Dornan says she would like to add on to the nine unit hotel at some point. The bar is currently licensed to accommodate up to 174 people, and has been the venue for weddings, parties and socials. But facilities aside, Pat says what brings people back is the restaurant’s attention to customer service. “I have a great staff,” smiles Dornan, “and good staffing, I think that’s another thing that makes the place run. Our girls are really friendly and everybody gets along great. Everybody has different personalities... and the customers love our girls. While Pat always truly believed in her project, that belief was only part of the story. After carefully crafting both a business plan and a renovation plan for about six months, the crucial next step for the former banker was getting those currently in the financial community to share her vision. Pat got some help from the Business Development Bank of Canada. “They had faith in me and here we are today,” says Pat, although she admits it wasn’t that cut and dried. Given the fact that the business was struggling before Dornan bought it, the BDC could be excused for being a bit sceptical. “They were looking at me and saying ‘how can you say you would do any better?’ And I just said ‘well, I believe that it’s there, it just has to be run properly. If there is a will, there's a way’,” recalls Pat. Now, that belief is paying off for those who appreciate fine dining and accommodations in the Ear Falls area! If you’d like to enjoy the fruits...and salads, and other healthy dishes...of Pat Dornan’s labour of love, visit her and her staff at Hotel 105, located at 44 Highway 105 North in Ear Falls, or check them out on the Internet at www.goearfalls.com/~hotel105/
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The Chukuni Communities Development Corporation
A Community Futures Development Corporation 137 Howey Street, Box 250, Red Lake, Ontario Canada P0V 2M0 Phone: 807 727-3275 Fax: 807-727-3285 Email List |
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