newsminer.com

Picture Denali Salmon Bake co-owner Dave Coleman in a suit and tie. It’s hard to imagine.

But he and fellow Salmon Bake owners Jason Motyka and Marc Boghosian all dressed for the occasion recently to receive a special honor from the state of Alaska.

The Denali Salmon Bake has been named Alaska’s Small Business of the Year. Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich was even on hand for the event.

An Alaska Small Business Administration representative will travel to the Denali area this weekend and bestow the honor again, locally this time at the Denali Salmon Bake, during the annual Greater Healy Chamber of Commerce Banquet. Tickets for the banquet Sunday are available at the new First National Bank of Alaska branch in Healy.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Salmon Bake was nothing but a ramshackled afterthought in the Nenana River Canyon area. Built in 1984, it was not a very popular spot. The food was marginal and locals tended to avoid it.

But that was before three young Alaskans formed Denali Visions 3000 and leased the property, opening it anew in 2005. They brought a new energy to the place. They also brought professionalism, live music and to everyone’s surprise — good food at a good price.

Suddenly, the Denali Salmon Bake became the not-to-be-missed hot spot.

Along the way, 65 new full- and part-time jobs were added to the community, and the new business owners showed a special interest in community endeavors.

Still, many were surprised to discover not only that the First National Bank of Alaska nominated the Salmon Bake for the award, but that they actually won. For those who know how hard these three guys worked, it’s not a surprise.

It all started during the winter of 2003-04 when lifelong California friends Coleman and Boghosian went on a surfing adventure in Costa Rica. By pure chance, Motyka showed up at the same campground.

They talked about how they wished they could get a good burger, burrito or great fish taco at Denali, just like the ones they were eating in Costa Rica.

The vision was born.

The three men scrambled all fall 2004 to put together a business plan. In December, they signed a 20-year lease for the Salmon Bake building, investing every penny they had.

On the first morning shift on opening day in May 2005, they realized there was no way the three of them could wait tables and tend bar alone. Luckily, many seasonal workers opted to join the casual-attired work force at “The Bake” as it is known. By week two, The Bake employed 45 workers.

In 2006, that grew to 60 employees, and 2007 required the services of 90 employees.

In her nomination form, loan officer Teri Simmons asked Dave Coleman the secret to their success. He said it was easy — “Great fresh food at affordable prices, taking care of our employees and never ever forgetting that the locals and the summer employees are an integral key to our success.”

She described The Bake as the social heartbeat of the community, and that seems quite apt.

Young seasonal workers flock there. So do locals. So do older tourists. The Bake offers a free shuttle, 24 hours a day.

The Denali Salmon Bake also routinely hosts fundraisers for local causes, including for friends in need. Once, the men raised more than $20,000 in a single night for a friend who had cancer and no medical insurance.

When Teri Simmons asked me to write a recommendation for the Denali Salmon Bake for the award, I did not hesitate.

I was one of the stubborn hold-outs. Memories of the old Salmon Bake were hard to shake. The new owners politely pestered me, asking to help host some community events I spearheaded. I finally agreed and then wondered why I hadn’t done it sooner.

They have proven to be strong community partners — and innovative to boot. One time, they even came to the rescue at the last minute, when a food provider fell short of what we had ordered for an event.

All those things, especially their strong interest in our community, won me over. They worked hard and they deserve this award. Everyone should stop by this summer to congratulate them.

Just don’t expect them to be wearing suits and ties.

The Denali Salmon Bake opened Saturday. For more information, see www.denaliparksalmonbake.com.