Eureka takes its time researching what makes each market unique and how it can incorporate that personality into restaurants. Sometimes that means including art from local artists into the decor or sourcing spirits from a nearby distillery.
“It’s an integral part of what we do,” Penna says. “From getting involved in the community, finding out what charities are important locally and how can we support, say the school, in the restaurants.”
Along with highlighting local products and fare, the brand’s community involvement extends to events and festivals, like Coachella, Stagecoach, and Bottlerock to bring the Eureka experience outside of the restaurant.
Because of the individuality of each unit, every restaurant has its own social media page. The brand would lose its authenticity if it used generic posts for every location. It’s a lot to juggle, Penna says.
She had a flash-bulb moment when she decided to give the power of marketing to managers across the system. In order to form and foster the community relationships Eureka thrives on, Penna decided to empower managers and extend their responsibilities beyond day-to-day tasks.
Each Eureka is already asked to get involved in quarterly events. However, instead of forcing managers to set up or attend an event, they were given the opportunity to support causes that were important to them. “It’s a totally different mindset,” Penna says. Instead of being burdened with community outreach, the managers felt empowered.
