Lincoln Spoor is founder and CEO of Feel Good Brands, which franchises nine food concepts, including Einstein Bros. Bagels. After years of working with global brands, it recently opened its first homegrown concept — Frites at the Excalibur.
When did you know you wanted to launch your own food empire? Was your father, who was a former CEO of Pillsbury, influential in your business ventures?
I have always had a love affair with food, and my joy always came from doing something with it, whether it was cooking with my mom in the kitchen, or raising money for food companies or food concepts when I was an investment banker in New York. My dad was one of the great influences in my life and his 44-year career at Pillsbury shaped my view of the world. He was a loyal company man who grew up very poor and worked at a food company after college so he wouldn't go hungry again. My mom was also an epic force in my life. She enjoyed people, and everyone from the butcher at the grocery store to the sales associate at Dayton's department store loved her.
What was the driving force to bring your franchises to Las Vegas?
Las Vegas was the perfect place to start my business, with its mix of a vibrant and growing local population and a robust and dynamic Strip business. I like to have a second way home in my business ventures, and I knew that if I opened my first Krispy Kreme store and no one came, then I could always put our doughnuts on a truck and deliver them to the Strip.
What was your inspiration for Frites?
I was frustrated with the quality of french fries — everywhere. Even though fries play a supporting role on any plate, they are the first things we reach for. They are also the first things we steal from someone else's plate. I am old enough to remember the incredible fries that McDonald's had decades ago, and the secret was that they were fried in beef tallow. For the past 30 years, fries have been cooked in vegetable shortening and as a result, we've lost what we love about fries — namely the crispy outside and creamy inside, and that deep rich flavor. So, we decided to go back to that original fry.
Are there plans for expansion or taking the Frites food truck on the road?
Yes. We are refining the concept and will be expanding it on the Strip. We believe the best venues for the Frites brand are resorts, sports stadiums, entertainment venues and colleges/universities, so we expect to begin expanding into those areas in 2020.
What has been the most satisfying moment of your career?
I have had two — signing the check for the Krispy Kreme development rights in November of 1996, and pulling a sword out of a large potato to mark the grand opening of Frites this year.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
I love being a father and a husband. I also love to eat, with wine preferably. I also love to travel.
How do you balance your businesses and family time?
I travel almost every week, so family time is a precious resource. When I am at home, it is important to be present not only physically but mentally. When I am on the road, social media has made it so much easier to stay connected to my children. I love FaceTime. They are all teenagers, so I don't see them as much as I would like to.
What's the biggest issue facing Southern Nevada?
Water is one of the biggest things. Seeing the high water mark at Lake Mead is depressing. The homeless is another large social issue that we face. The pace of change is significant and we can't leave folks behind. It is a community problem that will only be solved by community efforts.
How do you give back to the community?
We donate hundreds of thousands of doughnuts to local charities, faith-based groups, NGOs and other organizations. We also donate hard dollars to select organizations. Over the years, I have also served on a number of local boards including the After-School All Stars and the Sunrise Children's Foundation.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
The Amalfi coast in Italy. The culture revolves around food and wine. and the tempo of life there is addicting. I am also a huge fan of freshly baked bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Burrata cheese.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
The crazy drivers in Las Vegas and people who don't use their blinkers.
If you could spend a day in anybody's shoes, who would it be?
Marc-André Fleury. I love going to a Vegas Golden Knights game. Can you imagine having almost 20,000 rabid and screaming fans cheering you on? Going to games is the chance to witness the best spectator sport ever. Not only is Fleury the best at what he does, but he is also a great humanitarian and a father.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Believe in yourself. Do something because you love it and believe in it, not because you think that you can make money.