Today we’d like to introduce you to Terry Raley.
Hi Terry, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got started in restaurants in 2003. I was the head bartender at an Elliston Place restaurant called OMBI. It was a hub for industry people, liquor reps, and a late-night dance crowd, courtesy of cool DJ sets from some Vanderbilt radio college kids. It was a lot of fun. It wasn’t much of a dining destination at that point, until the ownership recruited Kim Totzke and Laura Wilson, then working to brand themselves as a team. It worked for a while, the restaurant got busier, we made a bit of noise, and then it was over. The ownership wanted out, Wilson and Totzke moved on, and lucky for me, I got to keep my job and take over as an agent of the LLC. It lasted about 6 months, which was enough time for me to work through what became Holland House Bar and Refuge, which opened in March 2010, about 9 months after we were locked out of the OMBI space. As it turned out, I didn’t have enough to come after in the event of default, so they found some corporate interest, and turned it into an IHOP. At any rate, a few lucky breaks, and I was in. Nashville was a very different city then. You’d get noticed if you had the stuff.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No….every day is a struggle. Hospitality is difficult for many reasons; it isn’t and never has been a mystery to me how many chefs, owners, and front-line employees burn out in greater numbers than in most professions. There is a lot of pressure coming from all sides, from landlords, partners, employees, the public at large, the competition, regulatory agencies, insurance, employees, designers, banks, and all of the companies that feed off of the industry. It is hard to maintain your dignity, sense of self: your “place” in the world. At a certain point, you are becoming (or not), but you are not “being”. When the money is not so good, lawsuits happen. When the money is great, lawsuits happen. You finish a 14 hr day that started with the best prep service ever, then two line cooks no called-no showed, and you get home to read five 1-star reviews. One of the most challenging things for me has always been the necessary concealment of my struggles, because you aren’t supposed to show weakness. There are people who love me a great deal, and I am grateful. There are many people who root for my destruction, so you have to be tough.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Amaranth Hospitality?
I operate and control restaurants. They are not fine dining restaurants, but they serve great food and great drinks. I like to have a hand in designing them, and I love getting to know people. If I am known for anything, it is more likely that I have developed, dsigned, and operated some really cool Nashville spots that were before The Great Explosion, but after Randy Rayburn and Margot McCormick put Nashville on the board. Places like The Pharmacy, Holland House, and Butchertown Hall all came quickly, and the public embraced them more than I could have ever imagined. Looking back, I had some ideas that others were also having, but I had a talent for articulating them to people around me in a way that they could visualize.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I would say to anyone looking for advice, tie your value to your presence and not your output, That will ultimately be your legacy in any field you choose. Enjoy leisure without guilt, conversation without agenda, identity beyond work, and develop a fond appreciation for the beauty of ordinary life. Make rituals like two-hour shared meals a priority. Sit in cafes longer than you should, and depend more on your community. Work will become life if you don’t accept limits and live closer to necessity.
I hear a lot from my regulars that they are experiencing a profound loneliness in this age. I feel the same at times. It is likely that we have come to place more value on independence than on unity. We are not built only for freedom; we are also built for belonging, continuity, and rootedness. We have allowed the surrounding culture to not recognize the parts of us that feel most alive. So be more intentional about protecting your definition of a meaningful life, which should never be measured only economically.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mercadobtown.com and www.butchertownhall.com
- Instagram: @mercadobtown, @butchertownhall
