For Greg Marcus, movie theaters, hotels and restaurants share a purpose: bringing people together.
“We’re a business of memory creation,” said the chairman, president and CEO of The Marcus Corporation. “That’s what we really sell.”
On The Upswing this week, Marcus joined WTMJ’s Jeff Sherman to talk about entrepreneurship, the Brewers championship run and the value of shared experiences.
The Baum Spirit of Entrepreneurship Summit, Nov. 18 at Hilton Milwaukee, honors David Baum, a longtime friend Marcus met during their first week at Indiana University. Presented with Marquette University, the free event welcomes business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs and employees with ideas for established companies.
“The line on Dave was he had a great idea every day,” Marcus said.
That spirit also runs through the Marcus family business, which grew from a single movie theater in Ripon, WI into hotels, restaurants and other ventures.
Not every experiment succeeded. Marcus recalled unsuccessful restaurant concepts alongside successes such as Zaffiro’s theater dining. New experiences, including motion-enabled D-BOX seats and ScreenX theaters, reflect the same willingness to try something different.
“You’re gonna make mistakes along the way,” he said.
With the holiday movie season approaching, Marcus discussed what brings audiences back to theaters – and what watching at home can’t replicate.
“It’s much more fun to laugh with a group of people. It’s much more fun to cry with a group of people,” he said.
That connection extends to family holiday traditions at Grand Geneva and The Pfister, and to Mason Street Grill, celebrating 20 years as a Milwaukee gathering place. Marcus recalled helping shape a restaurant built around straightforward food prepared well, live music and a welcoming atmosphere.
Marcus also reflected on the Brewers’ World Series championship and his view from the parade.
“The amount of people was stunning,” he said, recalling fans filling Downtown Milwaukee streets and parking structures.
To Marcus, the celebration underscored why sports and entertainment matter beyond ticket sales: They help make Milwaukee a place where people want to live, work and build businesses.
For anyone sitting on a business idea, Marcus emphasized that inspiration is only the beginning. Execution and sufficient financial backing and support matter, too.
He also shared his grandfather’s advice: “It’s okay to make mistakes. Try and keep them small.”
The Upswing is presented by Horicon Bank.
