From Rock Bands to Restaurant Empires: Teddy Myers on Building Pretty Decent Concepts | EP204

Step into Episode 204 of On The Delo as Delo sits down with Teddy, a fifth-generation Arizona native and co-founder of Pretty Decent Concepts, for a wide-ranging conversation about music, grit, marriage, and building one of Phoenix's most creative restaurant groups from the ground up. From touring the country on $7 a day with his rock band Hollywood Heartthrob to winning a million-dollar raffle and losing it all chasing the music dream — and then betting everything on Downtown Phoenix before anyone else believed in it — Teddy's story is a masterclass in persistence, pivoting, and playing the long game.The conversation covers how Teddy and his wife Katie built their restaurant group concept by concept, starting with a bootstrapped Chico Malo at Cityscape in Downtown Phoenix, navigating chef drama and a complete menu overhaul weeks before opening, opening and ultimately shuttering Chico Malo Miami after a four-year battle with neighbors, and doubling down on Tempe when everyone said it couldn't work. Teddy also shares the creative philosophy behind their cinematic concepts, why he treats every restaurant like an album, how collaboration with talent like Scott Conant on the upcoming Roman God of Fire sets them apart, and why a rising tide lifts all ships when it comes to building great neighborhoods. If you're in hospitality, entrepreneurship, or just love the Arizona food scene, this episode is packed with real insight and great stories.Chapter Guide (Timestamps):(0:00 - 1:41) Delo's Intro, Episode 204, and Welcoming Teddy(1:42 - 3:34) Fifth-Generation Arizona Roots, Sun Devil Marching Band, and West Side Phoenix(3:35 - 7:19) Hollywood Heartthrob, Warped Tour, Record Label, and Music Industry Lessons(7:20 - 10:57) Every Failure Translates: Business Lessons from Music to Restaurants(10:58 - 13:49) Building with Katie: Partnership, Marriage, and 17 Years of Growing Together(13:50 - 17:03) Life on Tour, $7 a Day, and Katie Running Merch on the Road(17:04 - 18:25) Winning the Million-Dollar Health & Wealth Raffle and Taking the Cash Option(18:26 - 24:36) Opening Chico Malo: Downtown Phoenix, Chef Drama, Menu Pivots, and the Underdog Win(24:37 - 26:38) Chico Malo Miami: COVID, Hotel Rooms with a Toddler, and Knowing When to Walk Away(26:39 - 32:18) Betting on Tempe: Filthy Animal, Doubters, a Rising Tide, and the ASU Generation(32:19 - 36:10) Pat Tillman, Jake Plummer, ASU Lore, and the Rose Bowl Memory(36:11 - 38:23) Roman God of Fire, Scott Conant, Forgive Me Father, and What's Opening in June(38:24 - 40:48) Wren and Wolf, the California Group That Never Opened, and Downtown Phoenix Today(40:49 - 44:31) Rapid Fire: Coffee, Aliens, Bench Press, Richardson's, and Rapid-Fire Wrap-Up👉 If Teddy's story of persistence, creative risk-taking, and building something great in Arizona resonated with you, hit Subscribe for more honest conversations on hospitality, entrepreneurship, and the mindset it takes to go all in.🐆 Check out Pretty Decent Concepts and see what's happening at their restaurants across Phoenix and Tempe:  https://www.prettydecentconcepts.com