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Tack RoomThe Tack Room Web Site History.As a radio DJ in college in the sixties, I loved the technical aspects of dials, switches and keyboards. Computers became a natural extension of my interests and as a result we incorporated them into our business in 1984, at the very beginning of the personal computer revolution. Since I type 100 wpm it was easy to become fluent in DOS, but I was first in line, at midnight, when Egghead started selling Windows 95. Techno-geek? Well, OK, I guess I was/am. I even have the latest underwater dive computer on my SCUBA rig ( I am a certified DiveMaster). Access to the Internet seemed another natural extension of my interests so I visited the University of Arizona computer lab to play with Mosaic when Web access first became available. I was hooked. We got a modem, found out how to link into the U of A library online system and browsed the library, the Internet and anywhere we could connect using arcane ASCII and UNIX symbols until the first ISP (Internet Service Provider) made local access available. Netscape replaced Mosaic as the browser of choice and we were online. It immediately became apparent that we would NEED (not just want -- NEED!) a web site. I had no idea if it would help business, but I just had to have one. I played with the free space offered by our ISP, but soon realized that a professionally prepared commercial site would not only look a lot better but would be more accessible. Entertainment Magazine, had been published in Tucson by a University of Arizona journalism professor for many years. In 1995, it went online, discontinuing its print version. I corresponded with the professor/publisher by email and he advised me that he had a Department of Tourism grant under which he could create our web presence. As a small, albeit well known, family owned/operated restaurant, I did not have the funds available to create a site without the grant, so we struck a deal and he created our initial web site. He uses his journalism students to keep EMOL (Entertainment Magazine On Line) up to date and it has been a great Internet partner for us. In 1997, we gained open access to the site and, with Netscape 3.0 Gold, ASCII code, Ws_ftp and other tools, I have been able to redesign the site and keep it up-to-date. We also added more storage space, which allowed us to directly provide space/support for the Council on Aging as part of our site. Indirectly, our fees to EMOL help provide nonprofit organizations with space throughout the EMOL web site. Our web site has become our third best means of bringing new guests into our restaurant (after word of mouth and resort concierge referrals). We get approximately one reservation a day by email in peak season and a couple a week in the off season. Our farthest was from Germany and the largest party has been for 20. Many guests use it for reference when they return home to show their friends where they went for dinner. We post our URL on our menu and our business cards. It is also a valuable way to provide information when people call for copies of the menu, history, awards, etc. Drew Vactor dvactor@The Tack Room.com The Tack Room at Vactor Ranch |
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