This is the fourth in a series of “what’s right with bowling” features that originally appeared in the “Karma” section of the November issue of BCM. One final story will go live on December 31.
BY MIKE MORIN
The parade of Ubers snaked its way through typically impossible Boston traffic to 444 Harrison Avenue in the South End. The destination was not yet revealed as 29 anxious food-and-beverage leaders, managers and executives assessed the landscape, hoping to buy a clue about the team’s community project.
“So, none of our team knew what we were doing,” confessed Jon Tosi, vice president of operations of Kings Dining and Entertainment. “This was a surprise. It was called our community outreach, but no one knew what we were doing, and I wanted to keep that a surprise until literally we got to the location. When we arrived, there was an amazing team at Pine Street Inn that met us in the parking lot.”
Since 1969, Pine Street Inn has been New England’s leading provider of housing, shelter, street outreach and job training for homeless men and women. On this day, Tosi’s team of Kings leaders from Boston and beyond would use their hospitality skills to bring a great meal and a “you’re our VIPs” attitude to residents who rarely are afforded the TLC they were about to experience. As you’d expect, a city shelter bears no resemblance to a Kings dining atmosphere. The team made its first move to change that.
“We found tablecloths, because they didn’t have them, and we put them down,” Tosi said of his team as the mission came into view. “That was when I started to see the pride really come through in our team. And then when residents started expressing their appreciation, you could see our team really realizing, ‘Wow, I know what I’m here for.’”
Surprisingly, not everyone was happy with the unexpected transformation created by the Kings team.
“The first gentleman that was seated seemed angry that the system had changed for the night. I went over and started talking to him, which is normally what I would do when one of my team members says, ‘That guy’s really angry.’ He was a tough nut to crack. So I just told him what was going to happen, and then we started bringing his food over, and he was shaking his head during it. When it was over, he was the first one to get up, and as he walked by, I said, ‘Sir, thank you so much for letting us be here today.’ He just looked at me and he goes, ‘Thank you.’ And I’m like, ‘Yep, I cracked it.’”
Tosi said the main questions they were getting were, “Who are you people?” and, “Why are you doing this?”
The most common replies to the team’s answers were, “Wow, that is so nice,” and, “Thank you so much.”
Tosi added, “We were giving extra desserts and just really trying to do what we do for a living, but do it for people that don’t get to experience it as much. Our focus was to make sure that they got the full experience that we could offer.”
Tosi offers important advice for bowling center proprietors interested in taking on this type of project.
“The first step is to plan it well in advance,” he said. “I was stunned at how long it takes, post-COVID, to be able to put together this type of an outreach program. Now you have to research through the facilities, all of them in your area, to find out who can handle it.”
When the Kings group was assembling on the way out, COO Leo Fonseca turned around and said, ‘This relationship does not end.”
Tosi said he is researching other future conference cities where the Kings Community Give Back Program can be executed at a local shelter, following the Pine Street Inn project model. The effect on team members was unmistakable.
“It’s not until you really see the other side of the coin that you understand how lucky you are,” Tosi said. “And that’s always my number-one goal. I’m sure it made our team better at their jobs because I think they’re better people walking back in the door of their Kings locations.”
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