Jillian’s is FUN! Community Blog

Wave of the Future?

Wave of the future?

            If we were to sit down and talk to almost any game-room manager and ask them what can we do to improve sales, the answer will most likely be “New Games!”.  Unless your pockets are as deep as the ocean, this is a fairly unreasonable request to try to do every year or two.  There are options of trading, selling, or buying used but after so long you’re back to square one.  What if there was another option?  What if you could upgrade a game for say, $60?  I’m talking a brand new, never played before, new to the public game.  In this post, I will try to show us how it may be possible to do this.
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Parting Shot

It has been my great privilege to be a manager at the Jillian’s in Seattle over the past four years (with a break in the middle)  As I leave I would just like to say thanks for making this a great experience. 

First I would like to thank Tony Humphreys for the trust he placed in me, and for making me a better manager.  Additionally, I am grateful to Tony and Tyler for the opportunity to come back to Jillian’s the second time.  I hope that my contributions made that a good decision.

I also would like to mention some people at the corporate office that rarely are recognized but who have made my time here infinitely easier by their efforts.  Specifically; Mary Lee Leger, Trena Rodgers, Teresa Schultz, and John Sowders.  They were always available to answer my questions and help me with whatever I needed.  Also extremely helpful, but not from corporate, Darren Des Roches and Gil from San Francisco.  We were without GM for a while in Seattle, and during that time if Tony wasn’t available, Darren was just a phone call away. 

Ultimately the greatest thanks goes to the team in Seattle.  Beginning with my friends Adam and Cary on the management team, to Cidnee and Lauren our Event sales team, I can only hope that I find a team like this in my future.  Included in this, although she was a late addition, is our GM Ali.  And finally the hourly team that we put together is fantastic.  I promised Tony I wouldn’t steal any of you…..that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t if I could!  You guys are great, and I will miss you.

Jillian’s and Jimmy V Hard at Work

I write to you all with my heart on my sleeve and deep emotion.  After returning from the Jimmy V Golf Classic this past year news was broken to me that my mother had bone cancer and was going to require treatment.  After many doctors appointments news finally came back that yes my mother had bone cancer, but she also had - Lung Cancer, 3 large cancer tumors in her brain, Bone Cancer and several patches of cancer all over internal organs - all this over two weeks. Then news got worse - 6 months or so to live!

After the sock I reached out to the Jimmy V Foundation via Chip Romp to see if there was anything they could do to help in making my mother more comfortable.  Through the goodness of this great organization they sent my mother letter, a “Don’t Ever Give Up’ Silver bracelett and some support materials - most importantly Jim Valvano’s speech from the ESPY Awards.  This deeply moved my mom and to date has helped her with great courage and strength in the battle with this diease, she repeat the words daily “Don’t Ever Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up”.  Below you will find a copy of the card my mom asked me to pass on to all of you and on my most recent trip back to Toronto she asked me to thank you and Jillian’s for supporting the Jimmy V Foundation. My mom also enclosed a check for the Jimmy V Foundation that Chip will be forwarding on.  Please see the card below;

Thank you all for your efforts every year in supporting the Jimmy V Foundation I know if we keep supporting the V Foundation and raising funds we can find a cure.  Thank you!

Darren & Family

General Manager San Francisco