Just when you were settled into your routine of frozen TV
dinners and Chinese take-out, Dorothy McNett is back and ready to
indulge your inner
”
foodie
”
once again.
Hollister – Just when you were settled into your routine of frozen TV dinners and Chinese take-out, Dorothy McNett is back and ready to indulge your inner “foodie” once again.
Starting September 1, Ridgemark Golf & Country Club will be adding McNett to its payroll. While she has no official title, she’ll be teaching her beloved cooking classes, helping out with marketing, and doing a bit of everything in between.
McNett earned local prominence through 14 years of doing business selling high-quality cookware and gourmet foods. Her success, which grew through sales via the Internet, moved Dorothy McNett’s Place to one of the largest storefronts on San Benito Street. But a depressed post-September 11 economy couldn’t support a luxury retailer of McNett’s size. Last May, diminishing sales and the debt burden from an expansion finally forced McNett out of business.
“Closing that store was the most horrendous experience I’d ever been through,” she said. “So to be starting over is very encouraging now.”
Ridgemark and McNett had been in talks for several weeks, she said, before deciding to pursue a business relationship. Both parties view it as a win-win situation: Ridgemark has been trying to paint itself as more of a community focal point than an exclusive retreat for San Benito County’s elite. McNett’s involvement, they hope, will bring in a new breed of customers who may not necessarily have spent a lot of time at Ridgemark.
“Dorothy is a great lady,” said Eric Dietz, Ridgemark’s general manager. “We see her as sort of a goodwill ambassador to the community.”
McNett herself is also happy with the convenience of her new job. “I live in the neighborhood,” McNett said. “I timed it today: It’s a three-minute commute to work. I’m doing what I like to do right where I live.”
McNett will be keeping busy in her new capacity at the country club. Not only will she be holding her cooking classes, but details are being worked out to get her TV show back on the air, as well. A small retail operation is planned which will carry specialty items called for in her classes – imported olive oils, fine wine and other hard-to-find ingredients.
McNett will also spend a good many of her evenings in Ridgemark’s dining room, chatting with customers and offering her advice as to what wines to pair with dinner.
While McNett is enthused about her new job, she’s the first to admit that working with Ridgemark will be a whole new kettle of fish.
“At the big store downtown we had a lot of flexibility,” she said. “When the building was remodeled the landlords did everything we wanted – everyone wasn’t so strapped economically in those days, things were a little different.. Now at Ridgemark we have to find creative ways to work with the space we have, but we’re lucky it’s such a beautiful facility. I mean, I could do a cooking class in a closet if I had to. This is a lot better.”
McNett, who has worked extensively with the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce and the Hollister Downtown Association, hopes her activities will boost the local economy. It isn’t uncommon, she said, for people to travel from out of town for a cooking class, and then spend some time downtown.
“When we get the TV show back up and running,” she said. “People will be able to watch it from all over the Central Coast and learn about who we are over here. I can do demonstrations in Carmel or Monterey and encourage people to come see downtown Hollister.”
Most important to McNett, however, is the chance to reconnect with the community.
“I’m a social butterfly. I can’t wait to spend time with the public again,” she said. “To just visit and chat about good quality food. This is going to be great for me, and for Ridgemark, and for all the customers who have appreciated what I do over the years.”
