Meet Dave Owen | Festival Concessionaire & Stay-at-home dad

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dave Owen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dave, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My first couple years in business I tried to stay as busy as possible to build our brand up in all of the markets we were operating in. As we have grown and our debts have been paid down, I’ve learned how to set different priorities in order to have a good balance between my personal and professional life. Since then my wife and I have had two beautiful children. With the flexibility of the work that I do, this has given me the ability to stay home to care for our children during the week and provide for my family financially on the weekends. This balance has worked out great for us and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to spend as much time with them as I do.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Island Noodles prides itself on providing healthy food options to festival goers, which is primarily what sets us apart from others. Not only do we offer a meal that consists of noodles, teriyaki chicken and 21 vegetables, but we also offer a vegan option as well. Health has always played a significant role in the development of this business. We are extremely intentional in all that we do in an effort to make sure that we are providing a unique experience for all those who buy our food. Although running a business can present many diverse challenges, we are proactive and work together to overcome any obstacles that we may encounter along the way. As a result, my employees have learned to communicate efficiently with each other, which has helped to create a small family unit. If there is one lesson that I have learned over the course of ten years, is that I want my customers to walk away with a positive experience and delicious food.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are so many amazing places to visit in Atlanta that it is so hard to name just a few. Piedmont Park has to be my most favorite place to visit while working in Atlanta. Although my family would recommend the Aquarium, which is also amazing, I simply love walking around Piedmont Park and taking in the sights. I tend to visit places and restaurants that are not overly crowded, but still great. There is one particular Hawaiian BBQ restaurant named, Waikikie BBQ, in North Druid Hills that I love to visit during my free time. Ultimately, it depends on the interests of my friend in terms of what I would recommend. If my friend wanted to really immerse themselves into the Atlanta experience, I would recommend catching a Braves or Falcons game, eating at the Varsity, grabbing some beers at Sweetwater Brewery, going to the Coca Cola Museum, as well as visiting Centennial Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I need to recognize my parents and immediate family. Without their constant love and support throughout my life, I would not be the person I am today. Next, I would like to thank my wife. We started this business right after we got married almost ten years ago and she has been my biggest cheerleader since. Now with two kids, it is not always easy to be away from family, but we are a team and pick up where one leaves off.

Website: https://islandnoodles.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/islandnoodlesatl/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/islandnoodlesatlanta/