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32 FEDA News & Views When Aaron Soward and Jeff Dixon left Hal Smith Restaurant Group to start their own business, Provision Concepts, the two wanted to explore their options, which meant possibly severing ties with vendors they'd partnered with during their stints as managers at Red Rock Canyon Grill and Upper Crust Pizza, respectively. "Not because it was the right thing to do or because it made sense," says Dixon, who equates the impulse to a leap out of the nest. "We were no longer under our parents' wings and wanted to revolt. We were going to be trailblazers." In December 2014, they succeeded with the opening of their fi rst restaurant, Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse, an 8,000-square- foot upscale steakhouse—minus the stiff -collar vibe, thick crown molding and Montague. Steaks and other cuts of meat are cooked on a wood-fi red grill. Broadway 10 was the fi rst tenant in 30 years to occupy the Buick Building, which sits in a revitalized area of downtown Oklahoma City's Automobile Alley. "A long time ago, if you wanted to buy a vehicle, you went to Automobile Alley," says Dixon. "A lot of hotels and businesses were coming back to downtown, and we saw a void for a steak house that had private dining rooms and meeting space for business travelers." During their days with Hal Smith, Soward and Dixon would have called their go-to distributor, Oswalt Restaurant Supply, to design the back of the house but they were still leaning toward change. "We interviewed several foodservice equipment companies in town and we almost went with a competitor but, thankfully, we got our heads turned on right," says Dixon. " is is a people game. In this business, steaks and burgers and equipment are the commodity." Four concepts later and with a fi fth on the way—Birra Birra Craft Pizzeria—Provision has kept this mantra front and center. For Dixon, that's been the diff erentiator in the restaurant developer's success. "We're not in the food and beverage business; I always tell people that because if you're not technically doing the food and beverage correctly, you're probably not going to stay in business," he says. " e No. 1 diff erence makers are your guests. You've got to have a relationship with them and give them a reason to come to you versus the next guy." Binding the Ties Oswalt has worked with Provision Concepts on all its restaurants from design to install to fulfi llment. "I remember when we fi rst opened Hatch," says Dixon. "We'd never done breakfast before so the early mornings were new to us. It was one of our fi rst days and I was on my hands and knees trying to fi gure out how to light the oven pilot. Everyone was nervous because we were working with gas and we couldn't make 32 FEDA News & Views partnered with during their stints as managers at Red Rock Canyon Grill and Upper Crust Pizza, respectively. "Not because it was the right thing to do or because it made sense," says Dixon, who equates the impulse to a leap out of the nest. "We were no longer under our parents' wings and wanted to revolt. We were going to be trailblazers." In December 2014, they succeeded with the opening of their fi rst restaurant, Broadway 10 Bar & Chophouse, an 8,000-square- foot upscale steakhouse—minus the stiff -collar vibe, thick crown molding and Montague. Steaks and other cuts of meat are cooked on a wood-fi red grill. Broadway 10 was the fi rst tenant in 30 years to occupy the Buick Building, which sits in a revitalized area of downtown Oklahoma City's Automobile Alley. "A long time ago, if you wanted to buy a vehicle, you went to Automobile Alley," says Dixon. "A lot of hotels and In Their Perfect By Stacy Ward, Editor in Chief stacy@feda.com Jeff Dixon, CFO Provision Concepts Why These Operators are Drawn to the