My wonderful winding road to entrepreneurship
by Lisa Stevens
After graduating from college with a public relations degree, I took an entry-level position with a multi-family developer/builder and surprisingly fell in love with land development and construction. Fast-forward 17 years, and I am still in the industry. During the economic collapse of 2008, my story was like many. I was laid off from my position as a marketing manager. Over the next several years, I held both marketing and business development roles within the construction industry. I also learned that I didn’t want my future to remain in the hands of others.
The desire to have creative freedom, along with more flexibility and independence, found its way to the forefront of my professional goals. I decided to take the big risk of going out on my own in 2014. That is when my marketing consulting firm, MKT Collaborative, was born. Starting a business is a gutsy move, and while there were days in those first six months that I questioned my decision, I would absolutely do it all over again! Nine years later, our marketing firm is proudly 100% referral based with year-over-year growth driven by our strong network of industry relationships.
Just as success seemed to be on autopilot with MKT, my husband Tim had this idea of developing an elevated-dining brewpub restaurant focused on good food and, of course, music. His passion fed the momentum and in 2017, we opened From the Earth Brewing Company in East Roswell. And, because we like to keep as many plates in the air as possible (apparently!), we opened Bask Steakhouse three months ago.
What Does a Mother with 37 Children Do on Mother's Day?
By Sue G. Collins
Jenna Aronowitz, the co-owner of 1920 Tavern, will be celebrating Mother’s Day with nearly all 37 of her children. That’s her two sons, Dylan and Aidan, along with her 25 employees at the restaurant. “They are all my family and we look out for each other,” says Jenna. “We stuck by one another during the pandemic and they are like my kids.” And, since Mother’s Day is the restaurant’s second busiest day (next to New Year’s Eve), she and her husband Howard and their sons will be all at the restaurant serving brunch and welcoming guests. “It will be all hands on deck,” says Jenna.
She and Howard opened the restaurant in 2015 after 20 years of owning and managing restaurants. They both loved fine dining, but she was a vegetarian and he was a meat and potatoes guy. They were at a loss for a restaurant around metro Atlanta that satisfied them. After searching for a restaurant home for some five years, a phone call on a whim landed them the charming space that inspires them to this day. “It was truly by the grace of God that we were in the right place at the right time,” says Jenna. “I spend more time here than at my home.”
But, to Jenna, 1920 Tavern is her home. She and her team strive to welcome guests with genuine warmth, engage with them and ultimately create Roswell’s own “Cheers.” On any given night at 1920 Tavern, Jenna says 70 percent of diners are regulars and 30 percent are first-timers. “And, for most restaurants, it’s the opposite.”
The Roswell community has been nothing but supportive, Jenna says. “We love this community. It’s really special. People pitched in when we had a family health emergency and during the pandemic, we were blown away by the support.”
While she and Howard are passionate about beautiful food, it’s the joy of interacting with guests that feeds Jenna. Yes, it’s nice to have a polite server. “But, what’s important is conversation. It’s what happens between ‘how can I help you?’ And ‘thank you, have a good day’.” It’s the "in-between" that she is most grateful for.
1920 Tavern, 948 Canton Street
770.998.3114
Meet two restaurateurs who are building their businesses, one meal at a time. Lisa Stevens shares the story of her career's surprising turn, while Sue Collins reports on Jenna Aronowitz's mission to make everyone feel right at home.