Let's Talk Local Podcast | From eCars to Dive Bars: The Len Critcher Playbook

00:00

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Hey there. I'm Sarah Zubiate Bennett, and welcome to Let's Talk Local. I'm so glad you're here because today's episode is a fun one. I'm sitting down with Len Critcher, an absolute visionary who's been ahead of the game in so many industries. He was one of the first to take car buying online, and now he's got his hands in everything from robotics to ranching and, oh, he happens to own three of Dallas' most iconic bars, Chelsea's Corner, where I am today, Inwood Tavern, one of my favorite bars ever in the world, and the newly renovated Milo Butterfingers, where we conducted this interview. We chatted about his incredible journey and trust me, you don't wanna miss this conversation. And stick around for what we record today at Chelsea's Corner with some great food, drinks, and fun with my really good friends, Lusely and Priscila. Let's dive in and don't forget to like, subscribe, and thanks for being here.

01:00

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. So here's why I'm a little nervous. I have not been in here since its renovation, and it always had this really divey sex appeal that I love, and I just don't want that to be gone.

01:16

Len Critcher

We enlarged the kitchen, but it's the same exact location. We put three bathrooms up front. The patio is brand new. You'll have to look at that in a little bit.

01:27

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Can't wait.

01:28

Len Critcher

This floor used to lean.

01:29

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, I remember.

01:30

Len Critcher

Like, you were you thought you'd already been drinking all day when you got in here. And so we had to get underneath, shore everything up, all new beams, all new AC units. There's not a single piece of electrical

01:41

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

This is all the same.

01:42

Len Critcher

Plumbing. That's all new.

01:43

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. This is new?

01:44

Len Critcher

All new.

01:45

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh my gosh.

01:46

Len Critcher

And we did this renovation down to the studs in four weeks. Nine crews working around the clock so we could get this thing done. But we had to shore this up, the ground. This is all cedar.

01:59

Len Critcher

So I don't know if you've ever seen this. This was the original building when it was brought here.

02:04

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, I had not.

02:06

Len Critcher

That was probably brought, I don't know, in the forties or

02:08

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh my gosh.

02:09

Len Critcher

There was a stable.

02:09

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It's like a yes.

02:10

Len Critcher

Yeah. And that's so that door you're seeing is the patio door.

02:14

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Here.

02:15

Len Critcher

Correct. Oh. You can see that we added I say we. Where that little x is. There was another door. That's the entry door now.

02:25

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, I see.

02:27

Len Critcher

And then the yeah. So...

02:29

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh my gosh. I'm so happy.

02:31

Len Critcher

Then the famous movie "Born on the Fourth of July" Tom Cruise was filmed right here. He's in his wheelchair yelling at everybody right here. This was no man's land back here. It was a junk pile of tables.

02:44

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I don't remember anything back here on it.

02:46

Len Critcher

It was it was like an old wood box with a TV on it and dart boards.

02:51

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay.

02:51

Len Critcher

But we've created and this is another event space now.

02:54

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I love it. Yeah. Got it.

02:57

Len Critcher

We even went to, well, we haven't went to lengths. These these lights, we had to source them from the eighties. So those are vintage. Now if one goes out, they all go out. It's a big problem.

03:06

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

No. Not those.

03:08

Len Critcher

But we but we did it because we wanted a vintage glow. Not LED. Yep. So these are technically these are not LED.

03:15

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yep.

03:16

Len Critcher

Now I don't know if we're gonna be able to sustain this because it's been, you know, four months of hell. Yeah. But we're gonna try Yeah. We're gonna try to figure it out. And that's one of the themes of what we do. We don't believe this is our bar. We're simply a steward at the moment.

03:27

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah.

03:28

Len Critcher

And this bar should live on. Yep. Hopefully. And so we do everything we can to make sure these buildings don't get torn down.

03:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

03:34

Len Critcher

The building should have been torn down. After what we found out, definitely, you should probably get a shot if you ever drank here before. It's like penicillin or something. It was filthy. But it's now

03:46

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I'm sure. It's now and and I and I have to correct people all the time. Dive bar does not mean dirty. No. It means neighborhood. Local patrons. It means a little dim lit. But dirt has nowhere in my, you know, my vocabulary for a bar. Or anything that I own. So behind the scenes, we even have a glycol beer system that charges our beer to 30 degrees in the lines.

04:08

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay.

04:09

Len Critcher

We are very sophisticated in our in our ovens. Even our grease empties itself from the grease fryers and stuff, and it's washed every day.

04:17

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay.

04:18

Len Critcher

So we are we're dive. But we're advanced, and we're clean. And so that's the goal.

04:24

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I love it. Yeah. I love it. I I'm so eager to sit with you. Len.

04:29

Len Critcher

Yes.

04:29

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I am so eager to just chat with you. You own some of the most incredible historic, I believe, establishments where so many beautiful memories have been created in our city.

04:41

Len Critcher

Right.

04:42

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

And I'm just, like I said, very eager to explore all that makes you you. You are such a dynamic person. You're quite an incredible leader. And I know I sent you some questions, but I'm interested to explore how you've come to be you. Well,

05:02

Len Critcher

I have no idea.

05:04

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I'm gonna ask the question. We'll we'll

05:05

Len Critcher

try to figure it out

05:06

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

together.

05:07

Len Critcher

Thank you for having me.

05:08

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

No. Thank you for being here. So you're originally from Dallas. Right?

05:13

Len Critcher

I try to claim it. I got here as fast as as my parents allowed. We were I was actually 12 when I moved to to to the Park Cities from Shreveport, Louisiana. So not far Louisiana.

05:26

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Not far.

05:27

Len Critcher

And and it was, yeah, it was a shock, very different culture moving from a a very public Shreveport school system to Highland Park. And, then I even spent a brief moment living in LA as a junior on my own. So Strange. We don't need to get in all that, but it's but but very, so I see Park Cities for what it is Yeah. And have a lot of love for it still live there today. But I felt like I saw a lot of other things too. That brought me. Maybe it's my perspective changed a little bit to see a different things.

05:59

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Definitely. But that that kind of that helps me understand you better. I mean, so many people from Louisiana, they're just good people.

06:05

Len Critcher

I'd like to think so.

06:06

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yes. I mean, food, dear god. I mean, it's, you know, some of the best.

06:10

Len Critcher

I do make the joke, though, that that real the the real Louisiana you know, they they don't claim Shreveport. They call us East Texas.

06:19

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Really?

06:20

Len Critcher

Yeah. I don't think that they if you go to New Orleans and you say you're from Shreveport, they're gonna go, I think you're more East Texas, but but you're correct. My parents met in in in Shreveport at Centenary College, and I had a great I had a great experience. I I, you know, I don't get back there very often, but it absolutely shaped a lot of who I was. That's right. It was a great town. Yeah. Great great place.

06:42

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I'm assuming your were your parents originally from there?

06:45

Len Critcher

So my father was from Houston.

06:46

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Ah, like Monty, my husband.

06:48

Len Critcher

Yeah. From Houston, Texas, and, my mother's from Magnolia, Arkansas. So a very small town.

06:55

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yes.

06:55

Len Critcher

They met at Centenary, which is kind of, you know, they they they met at Centenary.

07:01

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. That's perfect. And so I've done some research on your family. And is your father an author?

07:06

Len Critcher

He is. He is. He's he's he's published his third book now.

07:10

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. They're nonfiction.

07:12

Len Critcher

Nonfiction. Well, he's even written a major tax book Uh-huh. Called yeah. Yeah. About it's it's called Covering Your Assets.

07:19

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay.

07:20

Len Critcher

So he's also a technical writer. Yeah. He's a very smart man.

07:25

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Got it. Yeah. And so what kind of influence did your parents have on you, and what made you you? Because you clearly have an entrepreneurial spirit.

07:36

Len Critcher

You know, yeah. It's a it's a great question. If I start back, you know, I was blessed with a with a grandmother in in Magnolia, Arkansas. Believe it or not, had her own radio show going back to the fifties. She, was and and it was a very famous radio show.

07:56

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. My mother, and I give her a lot of credit, was in pageants to theater to taught, in college, speech. And it was probably her that saw us doing well in Shreveport. But I'll never forget the day she came to us and said, I think there's an opportunity for us to move to Dallas with my father's, in a career. And it would be an amazing thing. Would you instead of being a big fish in a small pond, let's go make the pond a little bigger. And let's find out what what we can, you know, do with that. And and I do credit her adventurous spirit, but since the age of there's a funny story she would say is it I I I was probably 10 years old. And a lady called my mother and said, why is your son at the local, it was a deli, trying to get a job? And and I didn't need a job, but I needed a job.

08:51

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I get it. I get it.

08:52

Len Critcher

But I need a job.

08:52

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I get it.

08:53

Len Critcher

And so I even my father to this day says, who are you? What what did we do to make you run away and try to work all the time?

09:03

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Sure.

09:03

Len Critcher

But I think it's in you.

09:05

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It is.

09:05

Len Critcher

And and I but I do I do think a lot about my father's very creative too. And I see business as as as a creative outlet. You know, being successful and making money, those are all nice things that allow you to keep doing what you're doing.

09:21

Len Critcher

But every venture, and I've had a lot of them, just a lot of interesting things Yep. Have all been about creativity and expressing that creativity and leadership and camaraderie and and and being part of community. I think that's really important too.

09:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

So it's interesting because I'm big into energy. I'm also quite linear right brained in my thinking, but very creative as well. And so tell me, do you think it's because you also inherited that creativity that you've been able to really have such a diverse portfolio when it comes to your investments?

09:55

Len Critcher

My daughter asked me again, what do you do for a living? Because my friends keep asking.

10:00

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. And we can't make sense of it. And I said I I like that. And because I I don't wanna be I don't wanna define myself as as one thing. And my career, if you if you go back to the beginning, it really makes no sense from I've been everything from a a young filmmaker to one of the first online car dealers to a software, and I made my you know, the bulk of my career in building two good software companies and exiting to now how the hell did I end up owning a bar? And I always joke because my parents are so proud. He goes from all these great things to know he's a bar owner, but whatever, though they laugh.

10:38

Len Critcher

But I don't know. And I and I and I but I I I do say that, yes, that I see it as a creative venture, whatever it is I do. But I've been blessed enough to have great people around me because you don't do anything alone. To learn, and I've been pretty good at figuring out what makes sense. Can this make money? Can we keep doing it? And there's levels. Is it and so so I look at two different ways of of running business. There's businesses that I'm passionate about that I'm involved in every day.

11:09

Len Critcher

I mean, if you I answered a Google review this morning for crying out loud. Right? I I actually care. On the flip side, I just got back from Austin, and we're heavily invested in humanoid robots. And we're raising money for that company. But I'm not running that company. I have a passion for it, but let let them have the day to day passion. So two different ways of looking at things, I think. You know, what am I emotionally connected to versus I still like making money?

11:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Absolutely. And that's okay. I get that. Yeah. I get that. And, my brother always laughs because he's like, you're all over the place. I'm initially, I was a fixed income trader.

11:46

Len Critcher

Right.

11:46

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

And then I've owned some businesses, but I was in wealth management. I'm a classically trained singer, and it's just it none of it makes sense. Right. It is. It is.

11:54

Len Critcher

It's just hard to tell somebody.

11:56

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It is.

11:56

Len Critcher

I think that's the thing. It's like, what do you do? And I literally now just go, I don't know. I own some bars. And , you know, when I get the biggest kick out of that, I think.

12:05

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. So you moved here

12:06

Len Critcher

Right.

12:07

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

at 12. You decided to so you went through the Park City Schooling

12:11

Len Critcher

Right.

12:11

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

And then you went to SMU. I ended up at SMU. We had a without going too much into it. Right before graduation, I was probably gonna supposed to end up in California. And, my closest friend who is a partner in in in this specific place as well as Chelsea Corner with me, Chris Camillo, who you've met. Chris and I met in eighth grade, and we had a very tight group of us.

12:37

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, I didn't know that.

12:38

Len Critcher

Yeah. We met at the lunch table. And

12:40

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, yes.

12:40

Len Critcher

Yes. Yes. It's a great story. Yes. We were we were both shunned for being the outsiders in Highland Park.

12:45

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah.

12:46

Len Critcher

And, that's a funny story. But, anyway, we lost our best friend right before graduation to a car accident. And it dramatically you know, you you you look at life in in in key moments that can really change the entire course of your life. And Chris was going to UT. I was going over to in California. I was to be a famous director, and we both said we need a breather because it happened right before graduation. So you take a a a a very significant life event like that, and it allows you to regroup.

13:22

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Of course.

13:22

Len Critcher

Would Chris and I be as close as we are today? I'd like to think so. But we have shared a fascinating journey together and apart, meaning he's lived in LA when I didn't live there. He's done crazy things without me, But we still find each other. We talk every day.

13:38

Len Critcher

And this is an example of what we call second, third careers, maybe fifth careers for me Where we get to reconvene and and really be be great together and do something not just because we have to, because we really love what we're doing right now.

13:56

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right. Yeah. And okay. So talk to me a little bit, if you would, about everything that you are touching at this moment, if you can. Because I know some of your investments.

14:06

Len Critcher

Right.

14:07

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

But I'm sure there's many more. You've exited. You even have SpaceX on one of the organizations that you've exited from. So is there any way you could give some history as to what that looks like?

14:18

Len Critcher

I started out building probably one of the first online car dealerships in the country.

14:22

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

14:23

Len Critcher

We didn't have AutoTrader, Cars dot com. We put cars on eBay and quickly found out they sold. And I said there's a business here. And so we started buying all the trade ins from Park Place and the local franchise dealers. And then we would we had jet hangars at an airport in Addison, Addison Airport, and we grew that from one jet hangar to five jet hangars.

14:46

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's pretty capital intensive.

14:48

Len Critcher

It it was. I got lucky. I say got lucky. I had a great investor in the beginning.

14:53

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Uh-huh.

14:55

Len Critcher

But as you should, you learn over time. You put money away, and then you can finally buy your investor out.

15:00

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

15:00

Len Critcher

And so that business was fantastic. But we were at the right place, right time where the technology was shifting. And I quickly realized that we needed systems to manage all of this inventory on all the different websites. So syndication, pricing tools, descriptions, photography management. So we built, or I say, you know, I got my team together. I didn't know I liked software. Had no idea. Fell in love with designing software.

15:27

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Wow. Okay.

15:28

Len Critcher

I'm not a coder.

15:29

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Uh-huh.

15:29

Len Critcher

But I I know enough to be dangerous of if I am I asking you to do something that's hard? And I I really got excited about that opportunity, and so I started building software and realized I got something really good here. And I left my own dealership, and we grew that to, you know, hundred and some employees

15:46

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

15:47

Len Critcher

Sold that company. But that's where another opportunity comes up. Right? So at that point, it was a it was really an emotional thing because when you build something, as you know, that is your heart and soul, and you've got a hundred and something employees, and you live and die, and you build a product you love. And I wanted to sell, but I don't think I was ready to sell. So I needed a basic project. That's where Inwood Tavern came in.

16:12

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. So it was that long ago?

16:14

Len Critcher

Yeah. Eleven years.

16:15

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. Eleven years

16:16

Len Critcher

for that one.

16:16

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

16:17

Len Critcher

And then we did an apparel software company that I joined a a small group of awesome people and Yep. And just helped them get to where they're going. And Whether it's a SpaceX or now Apptronic, which we're real excited about, which you were there for that That, incredible job. Presentation. And their CEO is amazing.

16:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Moving back to your original investor that you eventually wound up buying out

16:37

Len Critcher

Right.

16:39

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

How did that relationship form? Was it vis a vis, you know, the network at SMU in conjunction with Park City?

16:49

Len Critcher

So that's what you know, the biggest thing I tell anybody if I'm ever getting an entrepreneurial speech is you are your contacts.

16:56

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Right.

16:56

Len Critcher

So if we go back to when my mother said, let's move to Dallas, that was what she was trying to accomplish. How can you be put in front of as many people to improve your your your chances to do whatever it is you want in life?

17:09

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yep.

17:10

Len Critcher

And relationships are critical. Through the relationships that I had met in I did a whole another thing, a .com business before that. I met some guys that were selling cars, not online. And that's where my technical background I go, well, what about eBay? And then they tried it and it worked. I go, And I go, I think I can do this. I think I can do it bigger. They had already had an investor that was funding a dealership. Okay. So he already knew the game.

17:41

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Got it.

17:42

Len Critcher

And I think, luckily, again, my reputation was was okay enough that he was willing to give me I think I started with $400,000, which is not a lot in in the car world, but it was enough. And I I'll never forget. I would fly to California to go to an auction. I would load up an entire 18 wheeler. I would bring it back. I wouldn't drive, but, you know, I would bring it back to Dallas and single handedly would have them washed detailed. I photographed them. I answered every phone call. I put them on eBay. It's a lot.

18:12

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, yeah.

18:13

Len Critcher

It's a lot, but you you gotta be willing to commit.

18:15

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yep. That that's right.

18:16

Len Critcher

To get involved.

18:17

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

And so okay. So all of that, you're you exit that particular company, and then Inwood Tavern comes on. And then after that, was it Chelsea's Corner, or was it Milo Butterfingers?

18:32

Len Critcher

It was Chelsea after that. So everyone told me I was really dumb for opening a bar or not opening a bar, buying a bar.

18:42

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It's a tough industry.

18:43

Len Critcher

It it is, but I I see things very differently. And to me, I don't really care what the industry is. Business principles are business principles.

18:53

Len Critcher

You you you you have to buy something. You have to sell something. You have to sell more than you spend. You have to manage your inventory, and it's still people

19:03

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Mhmm.

19:04

Len Critcher

And marketing. Let's be honest. It's a lot of marketing and great communication and figuring out who you are as a brand. I needed a project that I could jump into that wasn't a six year, thirty engineers. You know, sales team.

19:20

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah.

19:20

Len Critcher

I I I walked into that bar, and I'll never forget. I go, I can fix this. Not that it was broken broken, but I said, I can fix it. And it was already successful, and it had a unique feature that it was grandfathered in. And I don't know if you most people don't know this, but you cannot open a bar or restaurant in Texas today without a kitchen.

19:42

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I know this. You're the only one.

19:44

Len Critcher

Right. So we're one of the last left

19:47

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Grandfathered in. Grandfathered in. Parking is also an issue. You can get grandfathered in, things like that. So Chelsea technically don't even own a parking space. So we're grandfathered in for that as well. So that to me made Inwood Tavern very successful because kitchen I always say alcohol hides the sense of the kitchen because kitchen is very expensive. It's food is very difficult to make money. So Inwood turned out to be incredible for me. Not only did I become very close with the neighborhood. I'd go on vacation places and be like, well, what do you do? Well, he owns Inwood Tavern. I could be in Florida.

20:23

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. And everyone knows that.

20:24

Len Critcher

Like, I know that bar.

20:25

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It's amazing. Yes.

20:26

Len Critcher

It's amazing. And, but what was what was great about it is, you know, at the end of the day, my team won't leave an amazing team. And and they won't leave in a good way, meaning they're very successful. They're happy. But that little bar and I won't say the numbers publicly. You you could figure it out as well as public data. But we went from from under a million dollars a year to to well over triple that, and we're probably the highest grossing bar per square foot in the state of Texas.

20:52

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I would believe that. Easily.

20:53

Len Critcher

Yeah. And so Chelsea, that was the one that I I I'm glad I did it now. That was one that almost killed us, though. I I I I worked there at SMU. Yeah. I watched I always tell people I watched OJ Simpson fleeing a Bronco as a server that day. And so but that building meant so much to me. It's a 1926 building.

21:15

Len Critcher

Yep. And everything in Dallas is getting torn down.

21:18

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I know.

21:18

Len Critcher

Just getting ripped apart.

21:19

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I know.

21:20

Len Critcher

And especially if you look next to us, all torn down, skyscraper going up.

21:24

Armando

Mhmm.

21:26

Len Critcher

I cared so much, so we knew that it needed love, and it was it was another bar called Corner Bar. I could see what their liquor numbers were, public data, and I said there's no way they're paying their bills. And so I just sat. I tried to meet with them a little bit, but we kinda they they ended up having to shut the doors for tax payments or something. And we went in and took it, and that's where Chris approached me. I didn't think he would ever wanna be in this stuff.

21:52

Len Critcher

And he said, Len he was a bar back. At the time, I was a server.

21:56

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay. Yeah.

21:57

Len Critcher

We both went to SMU.

21:58

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Uh-huh.

21:58

Len Critcher

And he goes, Len, if you do this, I have to join you. So he took a minority role in that deal. And thank God he did because it turned out to be the hardest first few years of of like, we our our time would have been better used somewhere else. Let's put it that way.

22:15

Len Critcher

But now we've built this amazing place with 60 employees, and it's extremely I mean, I think we're the number 20 something in Dallas for liquor sales. And, it's it's very successful. In fact, all three of my bars rank in the top 40 in in the in inclusive of hotels. So we're very

22:37

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

yeah. I'm like Lordy!

22:38

Len Critcher

Yeah. We saw a lot of those. Sorry.

22:41

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

But it's great.

22:42

Len Critcher

But we, but Chelsea has been extremely rewarding. And and I will say that because Inwood is its own thing, and I think we said this earlier, whether it's me or Chris or whatever, I don't feel I own them. I'm just a steward. I don't walk around town. You don't see me, you know, I'm mister whatever. I didn't I didn't build that bar. No. I'm just blessed to be able to carry it on.

23:08

Len Critcher

Yep.

23:09

Len Critcher

Ned built Milo Butterfingers. I didn't build Milo's. Ned, unfortunately, is no longer with us.

23:15

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

23:15

Len Critcher

I'm here to hopefully carry it on. Chris and I cared so much about Chelsea Corner. All of the real estate in the area was being bought up, and we were gonna lose our parking, our valet. I mean, we wouldn't have a single place to park our car, and, eventually, it would have knocked us out of business. So thank goodness that Chris and I are are have other things we've done in our lives. We were able to buy all the property to the south of us, including the condos, and we orchestrated a put property together. We've sold it, but we're part of the deal, and then we're gonna get a parking garage. We're adding 4,000 square feet on to Chelsea eventually for a for another thing we won't discuss too much today. But we're gonna build build a 13 story building touching Chelsea. Well, that's how we in a parking garage. So we saved the building forever. And it will never be torn down because of its footprint. But it I was offered Chris and I were offered really stupid money to tear it down. Just to tear it down because the the the the air rights go up to, you know, 210 feet. Same thing here. Every as everybody wants to tear this down because it's worth more

24:27

Armando

No.

24:28

Len Critcher

Going up. I know. It's not gonna happen now. No. We came in. I think people in the beginning are like, what are these guys doing to our, you know, favorite bar? But the truth is I want a place I think what I love about these places more than anything, and if I'm sitting down having a drink with somebody, we talk about the marriages that are formed, probably some divorces. But kids are being created because of us. But, really, having something in common with you know, my kids hopefully can come here.

25:00

Priscila

Mhmm.

25:00

Len Critcher

And I came here when I went to SMU. And so there's this this this long history of something can stick, and Dallas doesn't have to tear everything down.

25:12

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Exactly.

25:13

Len Critcher

So the one thing yeah. So the one thing I say is our business acumen, for better for worse, is at least allowing them to stay. And I hope we get to do it, and we may go do more. I I I don't I thought I would never do another one after Chelsea.

25:26

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Really?

25:27

Len Critcher

You know, just because it was so much.

25:28

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Of course. Yeah.

25:29

Len Critcher

And I you know, this is now we've got a great team now. I think that's the other thing when you grow from one to three. I've got incredible leaders. A lot of the staff stayed, which is awesome.

25:42

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. It's a blessing.

25:43

Len Critcher

And, and I think we found our our we're we're rolling now. Yeah. And everybody's happy, and the bars are killing them. I mean, killing it. It's just Milo's has never seen numbers like this in a good way, and and, like, people are happy, and that's what matters.

25:58

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Now you have these three. And I I just like like I said, just kind of threading through all of this information. You clearly have built something unlike any bar owner, restauranteur, hospitality individual In that, many people in your industry are somewhat afraid to join certain organizations. Let's say, the Metropolitan Civic and Business Association that is really revolving around trying to get our employees to become active participants in the city in which they're living.

26:36

Len Critcher

Right.

26:36

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

How in God's name is it that you have the fortitude, the courage to do that. I mean, it's it's unheard of. And I have many friends in your industry

26:46

Len Critcher

Right.

26:47

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Who are pioneers in it, but they still won't they won't do it. There's they're a little intimidated.

26:53

Len Critcher

There's two things. I think I am I would say the average at least in my industry, the average person in this industry is working seven days a week

27:03

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

27:03

Len Critcher

And barely figuring out

27:05

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I get it.

27:05

Len Critcher

What's up and down. I am blessed that I can remove myself and and be an owner and be actively involved, but I'm looking at a bigger picture of who are we as a society?

27:17

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

27:17

Len Critcher

What are what am I providing to Dallas? Am I just providing a a place for people to get drunk and sloshy? I hope not. I hope I'm holding good events. We do a lot of things for charity. Massive food truck at Chelsea Corner now. We do events for up to 400 people.

27:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, I didn't know that.

27:35

Len Critcher

Lots of neat stuff we're doing, and and it's a lot higher in food than people would ever expect.

27:41

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Mhmm.

27:41

Len Critcher

And so for me, I think it it you know, and I'm I'm getting older. I'm I turned 50 this year.

27:47

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh, okay.

27:48

Len Critcher

Which is a big deal to say out loud.

27:49

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It is.

27:50

Len Critcher

And I don't feel it. I hate saying it. But but you start to realize, like, what what is my city? What are we what are we leaving? And the only, you know, voting and and being involved is our power to change. If I don't want buildings to tear down, we need to get involved. And so I don't and I've always said, I do not wear my political beliefs very publicly.

28:16

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Me either.

28:17

Len Critcher

It's a rare

28:17

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

My husband does. Well, I mean, I don't. I mean,

28:20

Len Critcher

I will speak to anybody, but I but I sure don't make my bar We are not political. And those restaurants and places should be a place of safety and love. And community.

28:33

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

28:33

Len Critcher

And community is all sides. Right? And you should be able to have a voice. And so I want my staff to feel the same way, and I want them to be involved and get involved.

28:43

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

So what are the conversations that you have with them to not to not further any type of divisiveness, which I think is just so sickening to me? I wish that so many of us could have that ability to create community, yet still encourage that active involvement and passion to help the city thrive, right. In a positive capacity.

29:07

Len Critcher

Right. The conversation is, again, not political. That's it's not. The conversation is do you care about more than yourself? And do you care about what your future looks like for whether it's your family, your friends, yourself? And you need to know what's going on in your city. And I think we have a very big disconnect between what the media, you know, comes and barks and yells

29:30

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Totally.

29:31

Len Critcher

Versus what is going on in your actual community that affects you personally.

29:35

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yep.

29:35

Len Critcher

I think getting involved in that is is is I think it's just an if you don't care about that

29:41

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Mhmm.

29:42

Len Critcher

What do you care about?

29:43

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right. What words do you have to other industry leaders, particularly those in your industry, to encourage them to to have the because I I assume that it's you having these conversations with a lot of the people that work for you. Sure. What can you tell them?

30:02

Len Critcher

I I I don't know that that I hold myself as a as a person that needs to to change my industry. And and I don't think you're saying that, but it's, and I don't even consider myself in an industry. That's kinda funny to say. Because I'm all over the place. I look at I'm a microcosm of whatever it is in this industry of what I do, and I try to do it the best way possible. I measure my success by how long have my employees been with us. Yeah. In fact, we had a and for the first time ever, we had an all three managers meeting

30:35

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh.

30:36

Len Critcher

And where we could learn from each other.

30:37

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Uh-huh.

30:38

Len Critcher

And and and that was because, you know, I bought Inwood on its own, and then Chris and I do Chelsea. And now Chris and I equally own this place.

30:44

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Milo's. Yeah.

30:45

Len Critcher

And and I go, well, we we have too much to learn between all of us. And then we started doing the math, and I was like, they've been with us eleven years or fourteen. You know? This person's been seven years and and five years and the room was just unbelievable how long and you and then you finally sit back and you go, well, that success to me is that we're we're nurturing people.

31:09

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

31:09

Len Critcher

And then I I also tell people that if you leave me, I want you to do it because it's something you want to go. I've at least done something in your life. You didn't leave because I did something wrong.

31:22

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yes.

31:22

Len Critcher

Or the job, but maybe there's an opportunity that I simply can't give you. And I think that's amazing. But as far as the industry goes, yeah. I mean, I talk to them as much as we can, and we do need to get involved because we are a part of the city.

31:35

Len Critcher

I mean, food. Yes. What else do we do in Dallas?

31:37

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I know.

31:38

Len Critcher

Eat and drink. Right? I don't know the last time my buddy said, let's go, let's go run a mile. No. I don't know.

31:43

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

31:44

Len Critcher

They go meet me for a cocktail. Yeah. And we'll and we'll go out.

31:47

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right. Yeah. Again, is there anything else that you would like to leave our viewers and listeners with any types of nuggets? I mean, I know my so you know Trey Lentz?

32:00

Len Critcher

Yeah. So his wife, myself, my friend, Lusely we're gonna do, kind of a dinner at Chelsea's Corner. That we're gonna kinda showcase after this. So and then we'll probably go have a cocktail at Inwood Tavern. Yeah. But so we're gonna show all of your establishments and just the uniqueness of each location. They're so different.

32:18

Len Critcher

They're very different. I think, you know, it was interesting and and and not a nugget. I just Chelsea's an anomaly. Inwood's Inwood. I mean, in fact, you know, that's where, Scottie Scheffler went when he, I wasn't there that night.

32:33

Len Critcher

Went to Sunday night, and I should not

32:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Tell us. Tell tell everybody. 12:30 in the morning. I probably shouldn't be at my bar on a on a Sunday night. But he walked in, hadn't even showered. And and and that's the kind of place that it was built to be. You can have a Jerry Jones sitting next to an auto mechanic.

32:50

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

That's right.

32:50

Len Critcher

And that's exactly the kind of place, and I think Milo's is. Milo's, you you you you don't you can be any walk of life and come in here and feel comfortable. Chelsea has is a chameleon. Yeah. We have some of the best brunches in Dallas on Saturday and Sunday. People think, well, it's a bar. Well, I don't know why you call it a bar. Is it just because it has a bar in it? I go, do you call Houston's a bar? Yeah. Do you call Hudson House a bar? They have very large bars. Yeah. And somebody actually wrote recently. It was up this last night.

33:22

Len Critcher

It kind of upset me. I they go, well, it's it's good for bar food. I go, well, is is braised short rib bar food? Is is is is our salmon Caesar, our redfish? Yeah.

33:32

Len Critcher

You know, these are bar food items. So, again, we're a little something for everybody. I can't be in there at 10:00 on a Friday because I aged out. It gets it gets younger. Yeah. But during the day, it's us. It's a family every now and then. You know what I mean? It's a little bit everything and, again, being a part of the community.

33:52

Len Critcher

Yeah. So whatever nugget I could say is choose your passions, follow your heart. And get involved, and do something that makes other people's lives a little better.

34:02

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I love it.

34:02

Len Critcher

I think that's a good way to live.

34:05

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It is a good way to live, and I just wish there were more of you. But it's it's pretty rare. And if there's anything that I hope people listening or watching learn from this and and your wisdom is that. I I don't wanna say anything else after it because it's such poignant and Thank you. Wonderful advice. Thank you for being here.

34:27

Len Critcher

It was an absolute pleasure.

34:28

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Or thank you for having me here because we're we're not at my place. We're we're at Milo's. So thank you.

34:32

Len Critcher

Milo's has pizza now too. We have a new pizza, so you'll have to try soon.

34:37

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Well, I will. I'm I'm actually gonna sit here. I have my stuff to work. Yeah. And so I'm gonna be sitting here eating, and I hope they'll join me. I don't know. I don't know what they're doing. But Yeah.

34:46

Len Critcher

Today's chicken fried steak day, so maybe they'll like that.

34:49

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay.

34:49

Len Critcher

Alright.

34:50

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Thank you so much.

34:50

Len Critcher

Thank you for everything.

34:53

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Len has truly put his heart and soul into Milo butterfingers, and I love seeing his passion come to life. But now, I'm excited to check out what he's done with Chelsea's Corner. It used to be Corner Bar, and I've invited a couple of my good friends to join me. And after hearing Len rave about the food, you know I just have to try it for myself. Let's order some food and let's get the good times going.

35:14

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

So I am here with Lusely and Priscila, and we are just gonna have some yummy cocktails. I have well, what are you having to drink, Priscila? An Aperol spritz.

35:25

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Aperol spritz. What about you, Lusely?

35:27

Lusely

I'm having this, like, blackberry, crush cocktail.

35:33

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Is it good?

35:34

Lusely

It's so good.

35:35

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It's so good. So here's the the cool part. Priscila's husband, Trey, went to SMU. Right?

35:42

Priscila

Went to SMU Mhmm.

35:43

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

With one of the owners. And Trey throws this huge Tailgate. Party, tailgate every year at SMU still to today, and people will sponsor it. So they love Chelsea's Corner. Right? Yeah. So tell us tell us, like, all the fun things that you've done with and at Chelsea's.

36:05

Priscila

Yeah. I I've come to Chelsea's Corner for, you know, over the years and, Chris, the one of the owners, and him kinda started talking and, you know, they know each other from way back in the day. So, Trey was looking for for sponsors and and whatnot. And so Chris super generously offered and it was a huge hit. I think you guys were there one of the times they had like those sliders. Oh, it was so good. It was so good. Everybody was lined up getting food and drinks. They had a bartender there as well from from here. And so it was I mean, it was a huge hit. People were kind of asking when they were gonna sponsor again.

36:44

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Why don't you tell everyone about yourselves? So oh my god. Your jacket? Yes. Clearly everything. I believe. I know. She she wasn't planning on doing this. I'm putting her the spot. It's it's amazing. It's beautiful. And I want one.

37:01

Lusely

Yes. So I'm starting, to do, like, an arts and crafts, and I just love blazers.

37:06

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah.

37:07

Lusely

And I probably own, like, a hundred blazers. All different colors, all different, sizes, different textures. And I was like, okay. I can't wear all of these. And if, you know, if I wear a couple and then I I don't wanna get rid of them, but I'm like, what can I do to

37:27

Lusely

make it, like, fun and creative and one of a kind? So Yeah. I love arts and crafts. And I started saving these little champagne caps. And I was like, what can I do with them? So I decided to, like

37:41

Priscila

Well, and you're huge into fashion.

37:43

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Like, Didn't you go to school for it?

37:45

Lusely

I I did a couple years, actually. Yes. And so since so I'm like, oh my god. It's time I think it's like time to really, like, put all my energy in.

37:53

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Do it.

37:54

Lusely

Holy, like, and get myself involved.

37:57

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

She is a dentist. Okay. But she's a dentist for adults. Yeah. Where do you work, Priscila?

38:03

Priscila

Well, so my field is prosthodontics, which is like the prosthetic part of dentistry. Or better known as the veneer doctors. Yeah. As you know, people love their veneers here in Dallas.

38:14

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

But yours, are yours veneers or no?

38:16

Priscila

No. Mine are well, mine teeth are real. Yeah. Yeah.

38:18

Lusely

Good. Beautiful.

38:19

Priscila

Just some good braces. Yes. Yes. Likewise, you both have great teeth. Thank you.

38:24

Priscila

But, yeah, I do prosthodontics, here in Press Center. Mhmm.

38:28

Armando

Hey, guys. Just wanted to drop the...

38:30

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

This is what we're starting with.

38:33

Armando

Yes. Chicken, buffalo chicken bites.

38:35

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yes.

38:36

Armando

And we have four more things coming.

38:39

Armando

I hope you guys enjoy it.

38:39

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Thank you so much. Thank you. Oh my god. They're soft. Wow. They're soft. They're not all, like, dried out.

38:49

Priscila

No. Their food is their food is amazing. Their kitchen is really good. Isn't that good? I I'm just obsessed with buffalo.

38:58

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh my god. But they're exceptionally good.

39:03

Priscila

Wow.

39:04

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

They're so good.

39:05

Priscila

I know. I love them. I can't, like, ever not order them. Oh my. Mhmm. And that's the thing about it. Like, their presentation is so you know, it's like upscale, but chill.

39:16

Lusely

I feel like that's, like, their vibe. Yep. And I love it.

39:19

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

They're delicious. Mhmm. I think I'm gonna order another round. The buffalo bites were not burnt or crispy. They were perfectly seasoned, perfectly balanced. I know some people hate the word moist, but they weren't dry. They weren't dry. They were delicious.

39:38

Priscila

They were tender.

39:39

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yes. So tender.

39:40

Priscila

So yeah.

39:40

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

We just

39:41

Lusely

Yeah. No. Yeah. I I think, like, the sauce, the buffalo sauce, like, it was not super spicy, but it was, like, a perfect balance with the ranch.

39:52

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I mean it was delicious.

39:53

Lusely

So delicious. Yeah.

39:54

Priscila

For sure. Definitely hit the spot.

39:56

Armando

Just wanted to stop by and bring some more good food.

40:00

Priscila

Oh my gosh.

40:01

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

These were are gonna be really hard to to match up.

40:04

Priscila

Yeah. So we

40:06

Armando

we can deliver.

40:06

Priscila

Oh, these are incredible.

40:08

Armando

So the this is gonna be our, risotto balls, our pimento risotto balls. These are ahi tuna tostadas.

40:15

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Okay.

40:17

Armando

Our firecracker shrimp.

40:19

Priscila

Oh. I've never had that actually!

40:22

Armando

I have a spinach artichoke dip.

40:25

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Are you joking?

40:30

Armando

And then one of chef's favorites.

40:31

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

One of chef's favorites. Okay.

40:33

Armando

The jalapeños, our bacon wrapped short rib stuffed jalapeno.

40:36

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh. So so

40:37

Priscila

Oh, wow.

40:38

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Oh my gosh.

40:39

Armando

So a little feast for you guys.

40:41

Priscila

A little feast.

40:45

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

This looks incredible.

40:47

Priscila

So good. Thank you.

40:48

Lusely

Thank you.

40:49

Armando

You're welcome.

40:50

Priscila

See, this is exactly what I love about Chelsea's Corner. Like, it's kinda like whatever vibe you want it to be. Yes. Yes. You know?

40:58

Priscila

Because this is this literally is like a gourmet meal.

41:01

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

It is.

41:02

Priscila

But we're in a really comfy booth.

41:05

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Yeah. Like Well, that's that's what I that each of his establishments or their establishments, I should say Yeah. Are they have that approachability. Yes. Right?

41:16

Lusely

And they make you

41:17

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

feel comfortable.

41:18

Priscila

Yeah. Like, they're not trying hard to be something that they're not. They're exactly that, and each one is kinda like a different side of Dallas. Totally. You know? That's to die for. So good. I mean, I don't even know what to make my next bite because everything is so delicious.

41:34

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I'm so Oh, my gosh. The artichoke dip. I know. I'm like,

41:37

Priscila

I'll go in for that.

41:38

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

They they have a they have a truck.

41:42

Priscila

A food truck? Yeah. Really? Oh, yes. That's right.

41:52

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Mhmm. Are you kidding me? Which are your favorite?

41:55

Priscila

Oh my god.

41:57

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

If you had to pick.

41:59

Lusely

I think if I wanted to go for something healthy, I would just

42:02

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

use this one.

42:02

Priscila

I mean, those are those are good. Mhmm. They're like little perfect bites. Mhmm. I love this shrimp though.

42:10

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Me too. Me too.

42:11

Priscila

This shrimp is is phenomenal. I'm all about, like, the sauces with the kick. Mhmm. That's my thing.

42:17

Lusely

Yeah. It's like a little sweet

42:20

Priscila

of spicy spinach artichoke that is really good on this.

42:23

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I haven't tried it yet. Let's I guess I can't say until I try that. If I were to come back, I'd probably get this, this, the buffalo bites.

42:32

Lusely

Yes.

42:32

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

I think those shrimp. No. Between those and the buffalo's things.

42:39

Lusely

The buffalo things are the bites. They're so good.

42:42

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Buffalo bites, shrimp. I would I would do that, and ahi the next time I came. Yes.

42:47

Priscila

Well, there's so much more on their menu.

42:49

Sarah Zubiate Bennett

Well, I know. I mean, this is This is just some of them.

42:52

Priscila

All part of their awesome appetizers, but they have so much more stuff on their menu.

43:00

Lusely

So we'll just have to come again.

43:02

Priscila

Yeah. Round two. Yeah.

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