This weekend, the Washougal Motorcross Park will host the Loretta Lynn Regional Event – the weather’s going to be great, and there will be a new face at the concession: K&M Drive-in.
“We’re excited about this – we’re a Camas/Washougal business, and the MX is our ‘place on our map.’ For us to be able to service it makes sense and is really cool,” said Kevin Bruzzone, who co-owns Camas-based K&M Drive-in with his wife.
Established in 1971 in the rolling hills and green forests of Southwest Washington, Washougal MX Park is one of only three natural terrain raceways in America. Bruzzone said he was approached a few months ago by the MX Park owners about taking over the concessions at the track, and it seemed like a perfect time to expand his business. He has purchased a new kitchen for the concessions and is confident MX Park visitors will find the same quality of food and service that they expect from K&M, including hand-cut fries, charbroiled burgers, and fresh local beef and other ingredients. The menu will be a slimmed down version of the full drive-in menu, and will also feature K&M’s signature slow-cooked BBQ brisket.
“It’s always been my vision to create a company that can grow and build on my 40 years of restaurant experience,” said Bruzzone.
In fact, his corporate name, “Rushing Waters Restaurant Group” not only reflects the indigenous past of the area, but also alludes to “other concepts on the shelf.” Bruzzone said that in the near future – perhaps as early as this winter, he will be looking at opening another permanent location that could incorporate Italian or Southwestern cuisine, depending on the “passions” of the team members he on-boards.
It is often said that while one person sees challenges, another sees opportunities. It was a health crisis that occurred several months ago that convinced Bruzzone that his team was ready to take on new responsibilities and leadership roles. He said that he was laid up in the hospital for a couple weeks – during which his team stepped up and did what was needed, took on more responsibility, and showed what they were capable of.
“I’m confident we can do two locations now,” he said. “They’re ready for more opportunity.”
That said, Bruzzone noted that he will not neglect his existing restaurant, which he referred to as the “little engine that could.”
He opened that location in 2013, replacing the legacy Old Fashion Maid drive-in. Bruzzone said that like many small businesses, the first year was tough, but as word-of-mouth advertising started to pick up, so did business. The restaurant is now in its fourth year of compounding 20-percnt sales growth annually, and is doing more than double the first year’s sales.
“It’s been my lifelong dream to open my own independent restaurant and focus on the development of team members – helping people find their passion to serve others,” said Bruzzone. “It’s that passion that kept me going when the numbers said not to.”
He credits his wife with also helping him “stay the course.”
“She supported me through the tough times. She was always there with me,” Bruzzone said.
He hopes that the continued success of K&M Drive-in, combined with the concession contract at the MX Park and possibly a second traditional location soon will move his vision forward of establishing “internal partners,” where team members have equity in the business.
