Meet Ken Frank

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Frank.

Hi Ken, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
PrimeTime Grille with Fusion Alley was started as a concept three to four years ago by my wife and me, as a way to improve the quality of entertainment and dining in our community. We discussed the idea with several other potential partners, both private and organizational, including Ottawa University and the City of Ottawa, as well as local banking lenders.

Ultimately, a concept was designed and supported, and our business became a reality. Fusion Alley, a 12-lane bowling alley with game room and party rooms, was opened on August 24, 2019, and PrimeTime Grille, a 200-seat casual family dining restaurant, was opened on January 24, 2020. We are privately owned by a group of seven local investors, with my wife and I making up 2/3 of the ownership. We are financed through a local lender, Kansas State Bank, and we enjoy an excellent relationship with Ottawa University, which uses our facility for their bowling teams.

Though we have been severely challenged by the COVID pandemic, we have persevered and are excited by our product and our region’s embrace of it. We believe we have a unique and exciting venue, featuring Kansas Cuisine at its finest, as well as a splendid mix of entertainment and dining in a blended yet separated format.

All in our investor group are local professionals who share the common vision of enhancing our community. We come from different backgrounds, with my wife and I both in the medical field. Our corporate name is Elevate Ottawa LLC because that is our common goal.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a severe strain on our business model, as it has all restaurants and bowling alleys. The relief funds have been instrumental in keeping our doors open, though our eligibility has been somewhat limited by our brief tenure.

We face ongoing challenges with regard to lingering hesitancy on the part of patrons for dining and entertainment due to the pandemic, as well as ongoing challenges hiring staff. This staffing shortage has required us to be open only five and a half days per week, as opposed to our initial seven-day-per-week schedule.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a full-time practicing physician, specializing in ophthalmology, (eye surgery). My wife and I have been in our community for 25 years and have raised four daughters here. Our story is similar to the other investors in our group.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I center my life on my faith. I am an active practicing Catholic Christian and have gained tremendous perspective and foundation from Word on Fire, which is a series of podcasts as well as a total evangelical platform. I am a member of the Word on Fire Institute.

Through my faith, I strive to serve the common good, which is an underlying theme for both of my businesses. I also love to sing and lead the singing at multiple churches of different denominations. I perform musically at times and plan to do so in the future at PrimeTime Grille.

Contact Info:

• Email: eat@primetimegrille.com
• Website: www.primetimegrille.com
• Instagram: @primetimegrille
• Facebook: facebook.com/primetimegrille
• Twitter: @primetimegrille
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/primetime-grille-ottawa