That's So Cincinnati

S2 Ep94: That's So Cincinnati: How Jeff Ruby inspired Cincinnati bar owner to 'take care of people'


Listen Later

Cincinnati restauranteur and bar owner Bob Deck, a managing partner at Four Entertainment Group, joined The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast this week to chat about: 

  • Jeff Ruby's impact on Deck's career  
  • 4EG's role in the revitalization of Downtown and Over-the-Rhine
  • The struggles of being a bar and restaurant owner during a pandemic
  • Expansion, including opening the Ernest Hemingway-inspired bar, Pilar, soon at the Court Street Plaza 
  • Four Entertainment Group launched about 15 years ago, around the time 3CDC was beginning its work to redevelopment Over-the-Rhine. The group has 18 bars restaurants in Cincinnati, Covington, Columbus and Chicago. It's notable Greater Cincinnati brands include: Igby's in Downtown, The Lackman in Over-the-Rhine and Keystone in Covington and Clifton.

    As a young adult, Deck, who grew up in Anderson Township, parked cars at Jeff Ruby's Waterfront restaurant. Deck enjoyed the experience of working in the restaurant business. He initially pursued a career as a chiropractor after graduating from Miami University, but Deck and some friends got together to start 4EG.

    Deck has never forgotten what some call the "Jeff Ruby experience" – it's all about impeccable customer service and making the customer feel special during their entire visit to one of Ruby's steakhouses. 

    "It was just amazing to watch how he would always take care of people and want all of his employees to take care of people," Deck said. "From the moment you pull your car up with the valet until you're experience inside, that was what they took pride on and have continued to this day."
    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    That's So CincinnatiBy That's So Cincinnati

    • 4.3
    • 4.3
    • 4.3
    • 4.3
    • 4.3

    4.3

    102 ratings


    More shows like That's So Cincinnati

    View all
    This American Life by This American Life

    This American Life

    90,686 Listeners

    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    37,890 Listeners

    The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

    The NPR Politics Podcast

    25,771 Listeners

    Outside Podcast by Outside

    Outside Podcast

    2,123 Listeners

    Cincinnati Edition by Cincinnati Public Radio

    Cincinnati Edition

    62 Listeners

    Pod Save America by Crooked Media

    Pod Save America

    86,596 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    110,655 Listeners

    Bengals Booth Podcast by Cincinnati Bengals

    Bengals Booth Podcast

    484 Listeners

    Locked On Reds - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Reds by Locked On Podcast Network, Jeff Carr, Steven Offenbaker

    Locked On Reds - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Reds

    255 Listeners

    The Bulwark Podcast by The Bulwark

    The Bulwark Podcast

    11,791 Listeners

    The Jim Day Podcast by MLB.com

    The Jim Day Podcast

    2,328 Listeners

    Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt by Politicon

    Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt

    4,053 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    15,433 Listeners

    Chatterbox Reds: Cincinnati Reds Daily Game Recaps by Chatterbox Sports

    Chatterbox Reds: Cincinnati Reds Daily Game Recaps

    194 Listeners

    The Growler by Paul Dehner Jr.

    The Growler

    175 Listeners