Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big

by Bo Burlingham

But eventually he did start a second restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, also located in the Union Square area. He decided to do it in part because he had the opportunity to bring in a great chef who would otherwise have found something else to do. He was also concerned about increasing turnover in the midlevel staff at Union Square Café. He knew good people would keep leaving if he didn’t create opportunities for them to expand their horizons within the company. Besides, Meyer himself was ready for a change. “Union Square Café was a great canvas, but I needed a new place to express my creativity,” he said. “I didn’t think I should alter a successful restaurant just because I was restless. I didn’t have to get all of my ideas into one place.”