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Columbia Catfish Plus store a Kentucky first Doug Campbell is developing Kentucky territory; Campbellsville store opening in April, 2005 By Ed Waggener Growing up here, he had just one ambition: "To leave Columbia!" But today, Doug Campbell says, "I'm here to stay." Even if his business were to grow to the size of Yum Brands, he says, headquarters and his home will remain Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky, USA. Mr. Campbell opened Kentucky's first Catfish Plus restaurant on September 23, 2004, at 855 Campbellsville Road, in Columbia. It is the first and only Catfish Plus restaurant outside of Mississippi, where nine are located, mostly in the Meridian area. The start-up here has been so impressive that Mr. Campbell is now set to open a second Catfish Plus, this one in Campbellsville, in April 2005. Columbia store already has firsts Besides being the first Catfish Plus in Kentucky, the Columbia restaurant is also the first Catfish Plus to offer scallops, the first to have jambalaya as a side, and the first Catfish Plus to be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Mississippi stores close from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mr. Campbell was able to capture these firsts because of the autonomy Catfish Plus operators enjoy. Catfish Plus restaurants operate with a rare concept in the branded restaurant industry. The restaurants are not franchises and the owners pay no franchise fee, only a royalty. Catfish Plus stores operate under a Right-to-Use Agreement, which allows operators to use the logos and techniques developed by Catfish Plus, but allows much more local decision-making than franchisees have. The local store, for instance, is required only to use the company's secret breading in the preparation of the seafood and chicken items. Other than that, Mr. Campbell can alter the operation pretty much as he sees fit. Getting started in the food business "I can't remember when I first wanted to get in the food business, but I've had a keen interest in it since childhood," Mr. Campbell says. He's worked short stints in the restaurant field, he said, but really got in high gear after a successful session on the internet. "I was messing around on eBay and ended up with a hotdog cart." He's set the hotdog cart up a few times at events in Columbia. He has contracted to bring the cart out to grand openings, such as the one at First Realty & Auction Company. He also contracts as a caterer for homecomings, reunions, and the like. He says he's not through with the hot dog business, even though the seafood business has had a more spectacular start. "Yes," he says, "likely you'll see me purveying fine hotdogs here and there in the future." The "short stints in the restaurant field," include helping to set up Reno's in Somerset. And while flying Fazzoli executives around the country, he got some on the job training at a number of Fazzoli's openings. "I've worked every station, from one time to another, in a Fazzoli's restaurant," he said. That experience came in handy when it was time to open his own restaurants. Pastor told him about catfish concept "Our new pastor at Bearwallow United Methodist Church, Bro. Troy Long, hails from Mississippi and he told me about the concept, which is Mississippi based" Mr. Campbell said. "One thing led to another, and here we are." Where they are is in what is now one of the most popular food spots in Adair County. It's more than living up to his expectations. "The Columbia store had the biggest opening in Catfish Plus history and continues to do well," Mr. Campbell says. An average of nearly 1,000 lunch and dinner meals have been served each week since the start-up. For the opening, Allen Tolleson, from Catfish Plus' Meridian, Mississippi, headquarters, was on hand. Tolleson and his partner, Randy Chesney, are the chief executives of Catfish Plus. "They're wonderful people to work with," he said. Even with Mr. Tolleson's presence, the staff was stretched to meet the demands of the huge numbers who turned out that week. Now, with an experienced crew headed by Store Manager Ruthie Green, the operation has been running in its sweet spot. The rest of the crew includes Janie Potts, Mr. Campbell's sister Beth Frost, and his parents, Ruth Ann and Mike Campbell. The owner and his wife and their daughers remain available, too. The stores are fun affairs The restaurant is a simple all white modular building which houses the kitchen and has a single serving window. It's purpose is prepare great food quickly and efficiently. It's cute. As at any greater eatery, theirs a lot of happy chatter. Diners are enjoying the food, joking, talking, having fun. Almost as if he had trained a lifetime for it, the owner is the ultimate maitre-de, the consummate impresario. Doug Campbell is a big personality with a huge, infectious smile. And he possesses a trait all restaurant people need: He's what Calvin Trillin would call "a good eater." He loves good food, and he savors his own with great delight. Much of the food from Catfish Plus is purchased for consumption off-premises. Many dine in their vehicles. For those who wish to eat on premises and outside their cars, there's a deck in front of the building with seating for 11 and picnic tables in back which can accommodate 12 people. The picnic tables are shaded by a giant elm, which is the romantic reason Mr. Campbell gives for securing the location. But there is a practical side, too. He says, "Location does seem to be the biggest factor in the success of these stores. And this is a good location." "But if this place doesn't work," he said, "I'm not stuck here. The building can be moved to another site which will succeed." He doesn't expect to ever want to move from under the elm. And, he says, he's happy with the leasor, his friend and business mentor Joseph Pyles. Besides, it is also in one of Columbia's hottest locations. The area is is being transformed with improved residences and by dynamic businesses nearby like William's Furniture, owned by Mr. and Mrs. William Burton. Even more fitting, perhaps, is the fact that it's almost waterfront, just a few hundred yards from Russell Creek, and because it offers a beautiful view of the distinctive silhouettes of the Columbia skyline, particular in the evenings. The menu at each Catfish Plus is simple The short menu, Mr. Campbell says, means that he can maintain high quality and keep the prices low. There are five short menu categories:
Sunday, however, is not an option. "My Sundays are tied up with worship and family time." And even though expansion and longer hours are not far off, right now, the more immediate problem is the cold weather's influence on sales at at carry-out fish house. "I have to figure out how to make a take-out seafood restaurant working during a Kentucky winter." So far, he's met his goals. The lowest sales weeks were good ones, he says. Family He adores his family. There are four at home on Taylor Ford Road now: his wife, Katie, his daughter, Paisley, 17; and Katie's daughter, Anna, 12. "I'd been single for 13 years prior to this marriage," he said, and the years together have been happy ones. "We'd welcome another child," he says. Katie Powell has just graduated from Western Kentucky University, where she earned a BA and is certified to teach K-12 art classes. Doug Campbell's father and mother are Michael and Mary Ruth Campbell, Columbia. They've had the greatest impact on his life, and they set the high standards by which he tries to live. "I will always aspire to the character and integrity of my parents," he says. Business philosophy "Treat others the way you want to be treated," is the philosophy behind Doug Campbell's enterprises. "My biggest headache," says, was making people wait for too long when we were getting started, but we're getting a handle on that." He say he tries to conduct business and live by one rule, "Honor God in all you do." Business role models His role models and inspiration in business have been Joe and Randall Pyles, for with whom he has worked for several years as the company pilot. The Pyles brothers, whose success has come in the construction, building supply, and hotel business, have been his greatest encouragers, Doug Campbell says. He also learned, he said, from Fazzoli executives he's come to know in flights they've chartered and he has piloted. Growing up in Columbia Even though "getting out of Columbia" was an early ambition, he does great memories of growing up here. His grandfather, Mr. E. Campbell, a mid-1900's leader in Columbia business and an icon of the grocery business, was one of Doug Campbell's best buddies. "I remember sneaking off with E. Campbell to play Rook or checkers and taking in the rich smell of cedar shavings and praying those old guys didn't miss the spittoon and hit my shoes instead." He was in the band at Adair County High, but quit in his freshman year to concentrate on football and tennis. College was a casual interest for him. "I took the path of least resistance to get to a BA in college," he remembers. "I got a BA in broadcasting in 1985. I wanted to be the weather man on WBKO." That goal was not reached, but another one was. Doug Campbell shares his father's love of flying and a dream of being a professional pilot has come true . After graduation, he went into the Army. "The US Army taught me to fly helicopters right out of college," he says. And, he says, "I learned how to shine boots and pay attention to detail." That attention to detail shows up in his food businesses, where mise en place is practically a religion. At any time, the orderliness of the operation is almost military, as if awaiting a general inspection. Since being out of the Army, his career, for the most part, has been that of a professional pilot. It's a vocation he'll continue, for pay or for his own pleasure, regardless of the success of his food businesses. "Flying is like, 'I can't believe they are paying me to do this,' so I'll continue to do both (the food and the flying businesses) for some time," he said. And his favorite hobby? It's flying, too, flying around the countryside in his dad's 1946 Taylorcraft. More of his own stores, working with other owners Besides stores his own company will operate, Mr. Campbell hopes to increase his Catfish Plus network throughout his Kentucky territory. Besides the Campbellsville opening in April, he's looking at other locations for additional start-ups he'll own himself. While he wants to grow as fast as good business principles will allow, he does not plan to own all the stores. He is looking for other entrepreneurs join him in the venture. Catfish Plus 855 Campbellsville Rd. Columbia, KY 42728 Phone: 270-384-8989 Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday No credit cards. email Doug Campbell : dcamp53@duo-county.com This story was posted on 2004-12-30 06:07:52
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