Happy Thanksgiving Rock Fam! I am writing this from Walt Disney World! I am sitting in my hotel reflecting on all the amazing things I have to be thankful for.
I have worked for Rockefeller’s since the day they opened, August 24th, 1998. I graduated high school is June. My cousin Sherry said they were in need of a takeout person. Since I had already been babysitting Gregory and Jillian for Greg and Sherry since about 1991, transitioning to being their full time employee seemed like a natural choice.
I started off as takeout girl, became a hostess, Sherry then trained me to be a server. She was extremely nervous since I am known for being so accident prone in our family. At the age of 21, Albert asked me to manage one day a week. That of course grew. I transferred over to to the McKees Rocks location after we changed Pennsbury to a sports bar feel. In 2010 I took over the banquet room. Now with Jillian, we run the social media.
I love working at Rockefeller’s. I don’t mind hosting. I like waitressing and seeing the regular customers and welcoming new guests. I love party planning and helping people celebrate so many different milestones. Social media allows me to be creative and Jillian and I work hard at creating an online environment that reflects the humor, love, and delicious food of the restaurant.
We have survived from being a new unheard of business, to booming, to the basic chaos of restaurant life with things breaking, fires, and the pandemic. Everyday working in a restaurant is never dull to say the least.
Working for Rockefeller’s is fun. We have a great crew. I have worked for many amazing people in the last 23 years. Some have moved on to become teachers, construction workers, a lawyer, nurses, stay at home moms, beauty technicians, hairdressers. I hope they carry part of Rockefeller’s with them wherever they go. We have also lost some amazing people Albert, Ralph, Regina, Joe, and Kyra. I have watched people fall in love and get married (coworkers and customers). I have watched your kids grow up, noticed your missing parent, seen your kids go off to college, the first time you brought the baby in a car seat in. We are background characters in your story, if you realize it or not. ,
I have literally grown up at Rockefeller’s. I survived my first broken heart, dropped out of college, moved into my first apartment, got married, bought a house, had 2 kids, and you know the rest of that fairy tale.
I know no one reads the blog really, but I wanted to come in here today and just say how Thankful I am for Rockefeller’s. Some of my coworkers are family and some have become family over the years. We celebrate together, we mourn together, and we work together. I am thankful for Greg, Sherry, Dana, and Kim (and Jeff and Albert), for all the work they put into making Rockefeller’s not just a successful business but a great place to work and grow. These guys would give us the shirts off their backs if we needed it.
I hope this Thanksgiving your hearts are as full of love and thanks as mine. I hope you love your job at least half as much as I do.
-Nicole