Today was a scorcher, with temperatures over 90 degrees, but we made it through. We began the day with a visit to the Oaklander Hotel, where we met Theresa Murdoch, the Director of Human Resources. She walked us through the process of managing a hotel and shared insights into its operations, such as pricing and the process of changing rooms. One interesting fact I learned is that, although the hotel carries the Marriott name, it’s a franchise owned by a management company based in Raleigh. She said that this is quite common in the hotel space, similar to a fast food place like McDonald’s. We also toured a new restaurant being added to the property, which is an upscale pizza and wine spot still under construction.
Next, we headed to Lawrenceville, where we met with a representative from the local community development association. She gave a presentation on the neighborhood’s ongoing revitalization and gentrification efforts. It was clear she had a deep passion for the area. She emphasized the importance of supporting local “mom and pop” shops while intentionally limiting the number of large corporate chains to preserve the neighborhood’s unique character.
Afterward, we explored the neighborhood a bit and grabbed some ice cream, which was pretty good. We then visited a co-working company and spoke with its owner, someone who would’ve been great to meet earlier in our project development. He runs a co-working center similar to Gteic, the company in Ireland that we will be helping, albeit larger. He provided a lot of business insights, particularly on how financials, marketing, and innovation play key roles in a company’s success. One point that stood out was how valuable it would be to review Gteic’s financials, something we haven’t done yet but would like to see when we arrive in Ireland.
To wrap up the day, we took a walking tour of Butler Street with another local contact, who pointed out the area’s changing landscape. From new shops to freshly renovated buildings, it was evident how much Lawrenceville is transforming through gentrification. Lastly, we had dinner at Lawrence Hall, which was good, not as good as the ice cream.
Overall, it was a hot but fun day. I’m especially looking forward to tomorrow as we’re going to a Pittsburgh Pirates game!
