Nominated Business: TJ’s Baroda Tap
Who are the owner(s) and/or principal leadership in this company? Joe and Tara Matthews, Greg Borr
Where is it located? Baroda
Nominated by: Amber Mendoza
How many people work at the company you are nominating? 30-40
Tell us the story behind the nominated company. What does it do, and what sets them apart from other companies in the region?
TJ’s Baroda Tap is the sister location to TJ’s Sports Bar and Grill in Watervliet. They just opened their doors in the old Baroda Tap location. Full renovations were done both in the front of the house and the kitchen. They retained and restored the original Tap solid wood bar which serves as a beautiful center piece and has much history behind it. The goal is to serve amazing food and drinks in large portions at a great price! TJ’s wanted to become a staple for the locals and be a destination for people traveling from out of town. They really have succeeded! Beyond the high food and service standards they strive for, they always lend a helping hand to the communities of SWMI. They donate to local charities, participate in school fundraisers (Lakeshore football discount cards), hold charity fundraisers (medical funding for a Watervliet employee’s cancer treatment, and support smaller endeavors (a regular patron has a coin jar situated in the bar to help with expenses for her medically intensive dog). Joe, Tara, and Greg are glimmering examples of people who are humble, kind, and caring. It’s not just about making money, it’s about making memories and lasting friendships.
In your own words, why do you think this company deserves to be declared to be one of the 20 Best Places to Work in Michigan’s Great Southwest?I have worked in many restaurants for over 20 years. In all my experience, TJ’s Baroda Tap is the most welcoming, supportive, and friendly place I have had the pleasure of working. Not only do the owners treat us like family, they encourage us to be a united team. They are prompt to respond to a text or phone call. They personally come in and help with every day operations, when we are absolutely slammed, and to quickly correct any emergencies we may have. They have made sure we, as the staff, work in a safe, friendly environment with a high resolution security system and operating procedures in place. Not only do they support us at work, they fully support all of our outside endeavors. Many of us (including myself) have children, families, school, or other jobs. They are more than willing to be flexible with our schedules and don’t micromanage and question if we need to call off. Not only do they treat the staff as family, they welcome the customers with open arms and make sure they feel at home and are satisfied. The owners contribute to many local charities and participate in community wide events such as the chili cook off. We even won 1st place chili in that competition! The kitchen is mainly scratch foods, sauces, and soups which increases the deliciousness of the food we serve. They get our sourdough and some vegetables locally to help support our community in any way. Overall, the genuine care and love they pour into TJ’s Baroda Tap makes it shine far brighter than any other establishment!
What makes workers proud to say they work there, and keeps them a part of the team?
I can say I am proud to work there because the work environment is so positive. We are more than just employees working together, we are family. This is thanks to the foundation TJ’s Baroda Tap has built for us! We stay on the team because we are supported, coached, mentored, and confident. The owners have built a wonderful place to make connections with locals and show off our welcoming community members and great food to those from out of town.
Let’s pretend you’re writing a review for Google or Indeed. Give us your best recommendation for the nominated company that would make the rest of us wish we worked there, too.
TJ’s Baroda Tap has a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. They strive to help everyone achieve a high level of success within the business and in their personal lives. The staff is fully supported by the owners and management every step of the way. Whether you are a restaurant veteran or a newbie to the industry, you will have ample training and continuous support. A newcomer is never made to feel inferior and a helping hand is always available with a smile (and a dad joke or two).
What three key words best describe why this company is a Best Places to Work caliber company?
Supportive
Charitable
Welcoming
As a Best Places to Work company “Super Hero,” what are the two most magical “Super Powers” this company seems to have on a day-to-day basis? (i.e., Ability to read minds, fly, invisibility, etc) And why?
Teleportation because when something breaks, clogs, or we get busy someone from the owners or management team magically appears quickly to alleviate the situation
Telekinesis because TJ’s Baroda Tap always knows what the patrons and employees want and they do their best to accommodate those wants, most times successfully.
Tell us about the leadership of the nominated company and what they do in order to:
A] Keep spirits and motivation high? They are always a phone call away and have eagle eyes on the cameras. If they see something wrong, they promptly come to the rescue. They constantly pass on compliments members of the staff receive (service, food quality) and lend advice when someone feels they are performing below standard
B] Keep innovation and fresh ideas advancing? They are constantly bringing in new entertainment for the guests such as live music, Keno, and karaoke. They revamp the menu regularly and have introduced vegetarian items. They ask for staff input on new food and drink recipes and have even made some of those staples on our menu
C] Keep communications open? They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The owners make sure all employees have their personal phone numbers and respond very quickly. No one feels awkward going to them with any issues because they graciously listen and adjust
Explain a specific “wow!” moment in this company’s history that is virtually “Hall of Fame” or “Best Practices” worthy, as an example to other companies in the region.
TJ’s Baroda Tap recently held a fundraiser for one of the Watervliet TJ’s employees. She had stage 3 lung cancer. We held a “wrap battle” between the Baroda and Watervliet locations. A portion of every wrap we sold went to help with medical expenses. We even wrapped nachos and steak dinners! This culminated in a give back night where a percentage of all sales were also donated to the cause.
Best Places to Work have a reputation for not only working hard, but also for playing hard.
A] How does the nominated company honor or reward success? They give bonuses for high performance and holidays. They also feature employees on their social media when they have done their job well
B] How does the nominated company socialize as a team? We utilize group chats for things pertaining to work with jokes, memes, and good hearted fun thrown in the mix. We have had company parties where there was food, fun, and karaoke. We also will meet up at work on our days off just to grab a couple drinks because we love being around each other.
C] How does the nominated company get involved in community events? They donate to charities and participate in community events that are restaurant related. Recently they have participated in the chili cook off and sponsored our very own Dougie Fresh in the Polar Plunge
D] How does the nominated company celebrate life? They celebrate and acknowledge any milestone the team has. We have celebrated birthdays, graduations, new babies, and engagements. TJ’s Baroda Tap makes sure to acknowledge everything large and small
What one thing is special about your nominated company that most people in the community have no idea actually happens there, but should be shouted from the rooftops because it’s that cool?
TJ’s Baroda Tap is very transparent when it comes to operations so there’s not much the community at large doesn’t know. I think transparency from any type of company is paramount to being successful. That is something really cool in itself!
Give us three employee perks or benefits that you think make the company you have nominated worthy of a Best Places to Work trophy?
Benefit 1: Shift meals/drinks
Benefit 2: The knowledge that we are fully supported in our decisions, free from micromanaging
Benefit 3: The fact that we have become a family and want to welcome new people into it, employees and patrons alike
Anything else you’d like to mention about this company, its’ leadership, etc?
TJ’s Baroda Tap is super deserving of this award because they go above and beyond for the staff and the community. They put their heart and soul into every aspect of the business and typically do it from the shadows. I think they deserve to be publicly thanked for their amazing leadership and commitment to helping SWMI thrive!
