Calgary’s sushi-mad downtown lunch crowd is piling into Zen 8 and Paul Vickers is in a pickle.

“We can’t talk in here, too busy,” sighs Vickers.

Vickers brightens.

“But we have other choices,” grins Alberta’s baron of sushi, beef and Irish stew.

Vickers’ Ceili’s Irish Pub is right next door to Zen 8, his upscale Chicago Chop House is kitty corner from Ceili’s, Cowboys nightclub is a Texas two-step away down the block and The Drink is an olive stone’s throw away.

We settle for casual Ceili’s, which suits Vickers fine, owing to his Irish background.

Dave Olecko, Business Edge
Penny Lane Entertainment chief Paul Vickers hasn't forgotten his humble roots.

The 38-year-old native of Frankford, Ont., who is majority owner of 11 restaurants and nightclubs under the Penny Lane Entertainment banner in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Vancouver, has never eaten lunch at home in Calgary and he’s proud as punch of that fact.

You know, there might be worse ways to make a living.

1. Coming from humble roots in small-town Ontario (Frankford, pop. 1,200), what are your memories of the hardship of growing up poor?

“I wore hand-me down clothes and stuff like that. I’d joke around with my friends that, if I ever won the lottery, I’d buy my mom (Joyce) a house. Well, lo and behold, I have bought her a house and set up all her financial affairs for life.”

2. How did that make you feel?

“You know what? It was the most incredible feeling I’ve ever had. When I think about every penny I’ve ever made, every exciting trip I’ve had around the world, every great meal or bottle of wine, anything I every bought myself, be it a great outfit or a car, nothing compares to that. It was very special because we were always so close. I was the baby of the family so I was a spoiled little kid, affection wise.”

3. What was your boyhood dream?

“To be wealthy. When you grow up poor, what you don’t have, you want. I thought: ‘I’m going to have a beautiful wife, I’m going to have a beautiful house, I’m going to have a beautiful car and I’m going to have a beautiful family.’ I never strayed from those dreams. When I was making money, I had many chances to settle down, but I didn’t settle down with one girl until a few years ago because I knew I wasn’t ready, and I knew that I couldn’t give the things to my family that I’d dreamed of. Financial security was first and foremost, which I’ve achieved. I made my first million at 27. But I haven’t forgotten my roots. I lived in poverty and that’s what drives me every day.”

4. Why did you come West as a teenager?

“My family shipped me to Alberta because I was a bit on the wild side, partying too much. I partied a lot when I was younger, but I don’t drink much now – just a glass of wine with dinner. I’m very conscious of not drinking because my dad (Joseph) was an alcoholic.”

5. What did you do after completing your studies at the University of Alberta?

“After getting out of school, I wanted to be a banker, which was the boringest job you’d ever want to have in your life. But I was marketing manager of this nightclub (Garfields), which I ended up buying down the road, which became Club Malibu, and, while I did that, I owned an import/export company, a suntan salon and a swimwear shop, and we were quite successful. But you can’t finance the rag trade when you come from a poor family. I had it on my credit cards and then this lady in Winnipeg didn’t pay me about $8,000 to $10,000 she owed. There was no way of getting that money, so I sold off that business.”

6. So how’d you get started in the restaurant and bar business?

“While I was working as general manager at Garfields, the ownership was changing and it was a typical thing where they always have a fall-out. Nightclubs are notorious for people getting involved for all the wrong reasons – for girls and drugs and partying. I never got into the business for that. Never, never, never, never. I said: ‘If I’m going to get into this business, I’m going to treat it like IBM, I’m not going to screw around.’ One partner said: ‘Paul, do you want to buy in?’ I didn’t have any money, but I made a deal by paying them through my bonus system as general manager for increasing sales. So the place I worked at as a bouncer, I became the owner of. I moved the (annual) sales there from $750,000 to about $2.5 million, and we (Penny Lane Entertainment) should hit $40 million or $50 million in sales this year.”

7. Will you continue to expand?

“Our whole mandate in the last year-and-a-half was to get our ducks in line and focus on profitability. Now, we’re ready to expand. I feel we’ll expand in Calgary by two or three places in the next year and then we’ll also be expanding in Edmonton and Vancouver.”

8. What’s the key to your success?

“We’ve been very fortunate to have such good people around us. There are bouncers, DJs, bartenders, managers and busboys who have become partners in the company. You have to hire people you like, people who are a mirror image of you and people you can respect. You want a manager who thinks like you, but you don’t want a yes man. You want sparkplugs, fun guys, personalities and guys who have drive. A lot of guys come from poor families.”

9. Are many of your employees partners in the businesses?

“A lot of them are. Don’t forget, we’re just young and growing so one day maybe I won’t be the major partner. I’m in it to make money and work with good people. The way I look at it, it’s never the destination, it’s the journey. How much fun am I having watching some young guy go from busboy to partner? That’s probably the biggest kick I get out of it right now.”

10. Why is the failure rate so high in this business?

“Other people open up and their whole mandate is to set their sights on our company. There’s a lot of hoopla. It’s like a picture, a painting, and they say: ‘This could be awesome.’ . . . They make up a big dream about something and tell a lot of false stories about how things are going to come about, but it takes a lot of money and a lot of commitment. The money is almost never there because, if you’ve got money, you’re probably in a more secure and safe business. So that rules out a lot of smart people. The other people are in it to meet girls, the drugs, the parties and the good times.”

11. Have you gone to school on the industry’s failures?

“We said: ‘Let’s learn a lesson from Electric Avenue (Calgary’s failed strip of nightclubs). Let’s not build the same kind of bars side by side where we start discounting against each other and all we end up with is a bunch of cheap drinks that attract a bunch of cheap kids who cause problems. Let’s get nice, older, mature clientele.’ So that’s why we opened Ceili’s, The Drink and Chicago Chophouse where you charge premium prices, but they’re quality places where people feel safe and have a good time at. Every place we own has been a roaring success.”

12. If I made you an offer for Cowboys right now, would you sell it?

“Whatever you’re offering, it’s not enough.

“It’d have to be an incredible offer. I don’t see it slowing down any time soon. It’s bought and paid for. If Bill Gates wanted to buy it, I’m sure he has that kind of money. Cowboys Edmonton has made more money than any other place in the history of our business.”

13. How important is money?

“Money is power, money is access to information and information is power and is everything. But would I trade every dollar for my son (nine-month-old Zachary) and Danelle (life partner)? Of course. But I’ll never be pushed into making that choice. For the money I’ve made, I don’t live near the standard that I could. Everyone said: ‘What’s wrong with you, why don’t you enjoy life?’ They bugged me and bugged me, so I went out and bought a Mercedes Benz. However, I don’t ever drive it. I still drive my truck. I still DJ, work the door, bus boy, dish wash, whatever it takes. One night, a urinal was busted and I had to plug it in my suit and tie until the plumber came. I’m not above getting my sleeves dirty, not one inch.”

14. What trait is most responsible for your success?

“Drive. I’ve met a lot of people bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, better looking, shorter, whatever, but I’m very committed. When you dream about success and work hard and focus on it, you will succeed. As long as you’re happy at it, you’ll get there. Some people don’t want to be a millionaire and say: ‘I’m happy as a truck driver.’ I respect that, but don’t go becoming a doctor or lawyer or dentist and hate your job every day. I see them every day. I love my job. I can’t wait to get to work, and I hate to leave. It drives me nuts.”

15. Who has been your mentor?

“Rob Russell (a Toronto executive). He’s a super guy, a very charismatic guy and a good manager of people. He’s so awesome at not judging people, whereas if someone asks me for an opinion, I’m always very opinionated. I wish I wouldn’t do that. When you tell people what to do, they tend not to listen. He’s good at giving people confidence. So I’ve really taken that on and emulated him a lot.”

16. Is there a better place than Alberta for an entrepreneur like yourself?

“This is the land of opportunity, and Ralph Klein (premier) has been a big part of that by setting the table. It ain’t that way in B.C. They’ve missed the greatest economic boom in the history of mankind through the communist socialist governments they’ve had out there. Terrible!”

17. What’s the hot trend of the future in this business?

“You can never go wrong with Italian or Chinese food, because people all love their food, but I think that Mexican is the next big thing, and I’m going to try to capitalize on that. It’s sweeping across California and it’s on its way here. We’re three years behind California, but I’ll have a Mexican place in Calgary before three years (downtown). For anyone reading this, I welcome competition downtown. When someone opens something downtown, we all benefit.”

18. What’s your view of the new bylaws cracking down on smoking in restaurants?

“I don’t smoke myself and I don’t want a cigarette in my face. However, it just totally goes against my grain in terms of freedom of speech or freedom to do what I want to do . . . It’s not an illegal product to buy. They (civic politicians) can’t take on the billion-dollar tobacco companies, and they’re chickening out with them, so who do they punish? The little guy. They punish me. If some guy wants to have a cigarette, that’s his God-given right.”

19. How has becoming a father recently had an impact on your life’s perspective?

“Having (nine-month-old) Zach and Danelle has been the greatest thing in my life. It’s been so rewarding. All the hard work I’ve done all those years has come to fruition. My son comes to work with me every day until noon. That’s so different from the way people know me, as the Cowboys guy with all the beautiful girls. It’s so awesome.”

20. What do you hope to be doing when you’re 50?

“Working in the restaurant and bar business. Try 85! I love this business. I’m not going anywhere. No way. Love it! Love it! You think that (Wendy’s founder) Dave Thomas) wasn’t having fun? The customers are amazing. My nanny came to pick up Zach, she was walking out with my son and customers stopped her and said: ‘What are you doing with Paul Vickers’ baby?’ I am really flattered to be that well liked by this community. That is something to behold.”

IN PROFILE: Paul Vickers

* Born/raised/age: Frankford, Ont., 38.

* Title: President, Penny Lane Entertainment.

* Family: Partner Danelle Wilson, son Joshua (nine months).

* Education: University of Alberta (business administration).

* First job: Busboy.

* Favourites: Food – Chop House New York (steak); Hobby – wine collecting; Pastime – working out; Movie – Apocalypse Now; Celebrity – Jack Nicholson; Book – Straight From The Gut, Jack Welch; City outside Calgary – Edmonton.

* Business Profile: Penny Lane Entertainment operates 11 restaurants and nightclubs – Cowboys (Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray), Ceili's Irish Pub (Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver), The Drink (Calgary and Edmonton), Chicago Chop House (Calgary), Zen 8 (Calgary) and Sky Bar (Vancouver).

* Address/phone: 221-513 8th Ave. S.W., Calgary, T2P 1G3, 403-264-7111.

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