Women own 42% of small businesses in the US which accounts for over 11 million businesses. Ellen Korbin, owner of Ellie Lou’s Brews and BBQ, immediately is called to mind as a successful businesswoman. Along with her many ventures, she recently opened her 2nd Brews and BBQ location at 1391 Citrus Tower Blvd., in Clermont.
In a recent interview with Ellen, she described her personal journey.
Ellen Korbin: “Sometimes tenacity emerges from diversity”, says Ellen Korbin. Shortly after moving to Florida, with my husband and two teenage sons, my mother and I were victims of a hit and run auto accident. In a flash, my life changed. Directly and indirectly, as a result, I lost my marriage, my career, my home, and my mother.
Instead of pursuing my career as a caseworker and counselor, I was the one needing help. Help came four years later when a friend lent me $20,000.00 to start a new business after five banks turned me down. In 1993, my youngest son, Ryan and I began a coffee and cappuccino service at the Orange County Convention Center.
In October 1995, we had the opportunity to open a Funnel Cake Cart at Pleasure Island. Although a failure, it led to an invitation to do Candlelight at EPCOT in November. That six-week trial as the first small private vendor at EPCOT will celebrate 25 incredible years on November 25. We expanded to Blizzard Beach in 1996, Typhoon Lagoon in 1997 and Boardwalk in 2006. Disney has been an amazing partner and mentor.
There are a litany of funny stories and experiences regarding our tenures and growth in business. Immediately before Covid-19, we had 13 locations and approximately 50 employees scheduled at the Convention Center and over twenty employees at our Walt Disney World Resort locations. In one week, we lost over 2/3rds of our revenue and like most of the country, we were scrambling to regroup and recoup.
In 1996, my oldest son, Leigh, joined the company and his then, “young blood” and Disney training enabled us to set the standards and goals, we live by daily. We still have our first employee and over the years have amassed some of the best. In 2009, Chef Dennis Cheplick, a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Johnson & Wales Culinary School in Rhode Island and joined our team as executive chef. He has created our highly-touted Maple Bacon Funnel Cake, the Pumpkin Spice, the Key Lime and Blue Berry Funnel Cake, and soon to be served at EPCOT; the Sweet Potato Casserole Funnel Cake.
In 2012, we asked Chef Dennis what he wished to do? He mentioned BBQ so we bought a $300.00 smoker put it in my driveway and his creative genius began. For one-year Chef Dennis perfected his own rubs and sauces from scratch. He researched and gave credit to the BBQ regions in the country and paid tribute to their specialties. Chef Dennis paid special attention to all of our sides, sometimes the forgotten heroes in barbeque.
We had many tastings and many pounds later, on December 16, 2013, we opened Ellie Lou’s #1 in Ocoee. Thanks to Chef Dennis, we have been voted Best BBQ in our area four years in a row. This has led to the privilege of moving back to Clermont and opening Ellie Lou’s #2. A little-known fun fact, in 2005 we built our 1391 Citrus Tower location. It was Called Café Boquett. We featured food and beverages from the coffee-growing regions of the world. Unfortunately, when the economy collapsed in 2007, so did we. When offered to buy the building back in July of 2019, we readily agreed, pre-Covid-19.
This has been an incredible journey. I am so blessed that I have had many opportunities to help people. Enabling an employee to find his/her niche or serving guests food made from scratch with the best ingredients and prepared with love. I thank my sons, my incredible executive staff, and hourlies over the years who have brought us where we are today. Our guests have been so supportive through these difficult times.
Perhaps the only good that has transpired from Covid-19 is our tenacity as a nation to overcome diversity with acts of kindness and compassion.
Learn more by visiting Ellie Lou’s Website
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