6/22/2010 3:04:00 PM
Two successful businesses; one very young entrepreneur
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| 22-year-old Danny Glover, owner of Skuddlebutts and Party People Rental Company, believes that "whatever the customer needs, we'll provide it." (Photo by Dietrich Wolfframm) |
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By Elizabeth Koss
Staff Writer
Faced with the challenges of today’s economy, very few business owners are venturing out to start additional businesses. Furthermore, even less business owners are establishing additional businesses at the age of 22.
However, 22-year-old entrepreneur Danny Glover started Party People Rental Company last summer as a companion venture to his Skuddlebutts restaurant and catering business, which he purchased last year.
For years, Skuddlebutts has been catering events where staff members actually travel to event locations and cook food with Skuddlebutts’ own grills and equipment. Glover said most of Skuddlebutts’ customers rent tents, tables and chairs from other companies, so it made sense to expand the company’s services to offer everything customers might need for their parties, from catering to all kinds of party rental items.
“We were just getting our feet wet last summer,” Glover said. “This year we’re really diving into it. Most of our parties are going hand in hand, such as we’re catering for a customer with Skuddlebutts and we’re bringing them a tent with Party People Rental Company.”
Skuddlebutts was founded in 1939 by Eddie Gall as a small tavern on the west side of Downers Grove. After 68 years of service at its Belmont Road location, Skuddlebutts is now located at 440 Ogden Ave. in Downers Grove, and still known for its pizza, sandwiches and great value.
“I feel like we’re a good deal here at Skuddlebutts,” Glover said. “We always have two-for-one pizza at the restaurant, which is a great deal for a family of four or five who wants to eat dinner for around $20 or $25.
“In terms of our catering, I also feel that we are fairly low priced. It’s not uncommon for people to spend thousands of dollars on a graduation party and we can save them money with our catering and cooking.”
Glover started working at Skuddlebutts as a bus boy when he was 15 years old, and he decided to stay with the company after falling in love with the restaurant industry. Glover also recognized the opportunity to advance the business as an owner and implement new ideas to modernize the restaurant.
Glover said Skuddlebutts is now very involved with trying out different advertising techniques and making use of new technology. The company has been reaching out to customers through internet advertising, social networking and e-mail databases.
“I’ve built up a lot of ideas over the years,” Glover said. “After purchasing Skuddlebutts, I finally started to act on some of my ideas, and Party People Rental Company was one of them.”
Glover founded Party People Rental Company with the idea that party planning should not be a stressful event. Described as “your one-stop party shop,” Party People Rental Company’s services are used for company parties, graduation parties, weddings, backyard barbeques and the like.
Party People Rental Company offers a wide variety of rental items for parties of all sizes. Such items include pole and frame tents; banquet and round tables; chairs and chair covers; linens, which include napkins, table cloths and table skirts; buffet service equipment; grills and warming cabinets; bar and bar accessories, including blenders and coolers; lighting; and entertainment and games, including bag toss sets, tug-of-war ropes, bocce ball, horseshoes, baseball, basketball and volleyball.
Glover also provides special event services through Party People Rental Company, such as bartending service, wait staff, cooks, entertainment and disc jockeys.
“Whatever the customer needs, we’ll provide it,” Glover said. “Most of our business is local, but we’re wiling to go everywhere.”
Party People Rental Company can accommodate as many as five parties in one day and would find a way to handle more if need be. Glover said the company had a record year for barbeques last year with 75 different events, and this year they are expecting to surpass that number.
With a busy summer ahead, Glover said Party People Rental Company is not looking to expand at the moment, but as the company progresses, Glover is looking to buy some more equipment and do more advertising.
“We can only handle so much right now,” Glover said. “With Skuddlebutts, I purchased an already well-known and successful business that I just helped to advance a little further. But with Party People Rental Company, it’s all new and we’re all still figuring everything out. I’m building it from the ground up, so it’s definitely a different process.”
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