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28 Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce www.greatfallschamber.org What type of business is Tracy's Family Restaurant? Tracy's Family Restaurant is a landmark establishment many Great Falls residents can trace back to their childhood. It's a restaurant favorite with locals and tourists alike. People come in to see a business that has been a staple in Great Falls for nearly 70 years. Tracy's appeals to everyone. We have traditional diner food – breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But we've added our own flair and expanded menu options for all tastes, from chicken and waffles to mouth-watering prime rib. We can do about anything! Tracy's also caters community events, from the simplest gatherings to high-end weddings. We recently added beer and wine to our menu along with coffee from True Brew Coffee, another local business in Great Falls. All our meats are locally sourced, and we make everything fresh in house; nothing comes in frozen besides our ice cream for our shakes. What are the company values? Goals? Our company thrives on family values. We put our employees first, treat them like family, and pay higher wages than most places in Great Falls (or the state for that matter). We believe in giving our staff the feeling of ownership. We believe in the adage, "If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers." Our goal is to be relevant in the community daily by providing great customer service, helping our fellow businesses, and helping the community that supports us. We want everyone to succeed, and if everyone works together, we will all be better off. How long has your business been in Great Falls? Tracy's diner has been a staple in Great Falls since the early 1950s. The corner of Central Avenue and 2nd Street, where Tracy's now stands, was originally the Stanton Bank building, built in 1891. A fire devastated the five-story building and half the block in December 1928, later being rebuilt in 1938 as Hank's Hamburger Haven. In 1945, it became Louie's Kitchenette. In 1952, it was purchased by Tracy Redeau, becoming Tracy's Fine Foods. In 2018, Tracy's closed and was purchased a year later by John & Becki Barnes and partners Neal & Melissa DuBois who modernized the aged interior and reopened in July 2019. Why did you guys decide to reopen Tracy's? We did not want an iconic business in Great Falls to close for good. With John's restaurant experience, Neal being an attorney well-versed in business law, and our wives working in Great Falls as RNs, we knew between the four of us, we could make it work. How many employees did you start with and how many do you have now? We started out with around 20 staff members and now have around 30. We are continually growing as a company and will continue to expand staff and the restaurant operations. We did not want to lay off any of our employees during the pandemic, and instead grew our staff. It has been our mission to keep our staff employed and working; we owe it to them and their families. TRACY'S FAMILY RESTAURANT F E AT U R E D Q & A Photo by Photo Solutions