April 23, 2010
Corey Warren is all smiles at Dickey's Barbeque Pit, despite the risks of a rocky economy. Photo by Kristy Vickery — The Voice
By Kristy Vickery
Guest Reporter
The butterflies in Corey Warren's stomach slowly increased as his fist day on the job grew near.
"It was like my first day of school for me," Warren said. "You kind of have to figure out things as you go."
But for Warren his first day on the job is different than most, as it was his first day as active owner of Dickey's Barbeque Pit in Oviedo, a business that's been open and running for more than a year.
"The situation kind of just fell in my lap," he said. "And it's been a dream come true."
This opportunity came after the previous owner of Dickey's, located at 5414 Deep Lake Road, off State Road 426, decided to get out of the business.
The thought of the store closing before it was open for a year and before it got a chance to really get going was something Warren could not bear. He said although the idea of becoming his own boss was exciting, it was also very scary.
"It's a hard balance sometimes," he said. "There are a lot of hours involved, but overall the goal is to make sure everybody leaves here happy."
"I found out it wasn't as expensive as I thought it was going to be, so I decided to step in and take over. I kind of walked into a win-win situation, and it's been great."
Publix, new tenants on the way
Although Warren's decision to take over a business may be a decision he doesn't regret, it's risky to start a business during a rocky economy.
The numerous 'for lease' signs that adorn the window fronts of so many former businesses in the plaza where Dickey's is located are only a reminder that some may still not be feeling brave enough to follow in Warren's footsteps.
Ryan Phelps, Century Retail leasing representative for the Dickey's plaza, said although the plaza still has a lot of space available, the prospect of new businesses coming to the plaza is very promising.
"We are going to have a lot very soon," Phelps said. "Especially with Publix going in right across the street — that has helped our leasing activities tremendously."
Phelps said although no contracts for new businesses have been inked, the businesses that have already opened in the plaza are doing great.
"Cutie Patootie is doing great; Play N Trade does great; Verizon's coming in there; everybody does good there," he said. "Things are picking up."
Mari Mangual, Cutie Patootie manager, said business has been good since they opened in August.
"Although there's not much in the plaza now we still get a lot of traffic through here. … we also get a lot of customers through referrals," Mangual said.
Mangual has high hopes for Cutie Patootie, just as Warren does for his newly purchased business. Warren said he hopes to one day own more than just one Dickey's.
"I think that if I get a good handle on everything, then maybe in six months or so, I will venture out and grab another one," he said.
A hands-on learning process and a willingness to be there every day will make his business a success during these tough economic times, he said.
"We're not perfect, but we're willing to recognize our mistakes," Warren said. "So this way we can fix them and make things better for everyone."
Southern Cooking
Dickey's Barbeque Pit is located at 5414 Deep Lake Road in Oviedo. Call 407-657-5018 or visit www.dickeys.com for more information.
New Publix
The new 46,000-square-foot Publix at 2871 Clayton Crossing Way, near State Road 426 and Highway 417, will open Saturday, April 24.
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