One Of America’s Top Restaurant Marketing Expert Visits Historic Neir’s Tavern est. 1829

Here’s The Reality!

When i came to Neir’s Tavern, in 2009, it was days from closing despite it opening in 1829.

I took it on as a passion project because i wanted to give back to a country that gave me an opportunity when i had nothing as an immigrant.

But how?

I know nothing about the restaurant business much less own a business. I jumped in anyway and partnered with the landlord when it was days from closing to become bodega.

After over 6 months of rent was paid back to the landlord we eventually parted ways. But i continued and wanted to bring it to the iconic status it’s supposed to be.

Long story short, It’s now listed in the United States Congressional Record and one of, if not the first, tavern in the United States to have a street co-named in its honor, Neir’s Tavern Way.

How did this happen?

I had to unlock it’s historic value and then build a community around it that were more than just customers but advocates and true supporters. Guests who were as passionate and committed to the vision.

This was important because i had no experience and that meant i messed up alot. If it wasn’t for building a strong community then those new customers I attracted would have given up and write the worst reveiws. Thank God now we do have some of the best classic, unpretentious tavern food around. In fact, Neir’s Tavern was listed as Top Ten Burger In NYS by NYS Beef Council!

Before that, creating a sense of community that we’re building something great together gave me a bunch of second chances, to get the food better and to get the drinks better.

For people that don’t understand what that means i tell them this. If you’re grandma burnt the bacon do you write her a 1 star review and say “Grandma, I’m never coming back here"!

No. You say “Grandma, you burnt the bacon again. Let’s try again until we get it right. I know someone that can help you.” Does that make sense?

Then after achieving my goal of bringing Neir’s Tavern back into the Iconic institution I felt it’s time to get a trackable marketing system in place as i step back.

We need a marketing system that’s not just "Loy".

The fact is organically EVERY restaurant lose 10-15% of their customers every month. Why? People unfortunately pass away, they move, their dietary needs change and on and on.

So how do you get more customers through the doors as an owner that always loved being one to one with guests and can no longer do it?

You get a trackable marketing system to attract new guests.

So I did. Matt Plapp owns America’s Best Restaurants that have a awesome tractable guest attraction system so i signed up. Guess what happened?

Well I was visited by Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants. He was flown out by The History Channel to be interviewed in New Jersey from his home in Kentucky.

Next thing i know i get a text message saying I’m going to drive over because I can’t come to this side of America without stopping into Historic Neir’s Tavern.

He wasn’t kidding, Matt drove an hour to visited my restaurant!

I couldn’t believe his excitement when he saw my “A” frame sign outside with a QR code for a free appetizer. “This is what i’m talking about” he said.

As a historic restaurant owner you don’t take your foot off the marketing pedal just because you’re historic.

For over a decade i grew sales and with the support of many true fans of the work i was doing, we got Neir’s Tavern to become the brand it is today.

It was time to get a system in place and it was great to find Matt’s company and use some of the technology to buy back my time.

Marketing will get customers in the door but i also believe to build a stronger historic restaurant we also need to unlock our unique historic value to build a powerful community of customers who don’t come just for discounts all the time but visit because there’s something priceless they are spending their money on. It’s both. Matt Plapp’s way and Loycent’s Way. Attract them and then love them when guests get there.

I ended up reading Matt’s book “Restaurant Marketing That Works: Before, During, and After The Pandemic” which is listed on Amazon.

It’s filled with juicy goodness that will help find new customers that you can introduce to your restaurant and build a priceless customer community support system for your historic restaurant on the back end. It’s a win/win.