Itís all about location and being in the right place at the right time. Just ask Frank Patton, owner of Frankieís Too! in Falcon, who has earned success with two neighborhood bars/restaurants by using that formula and lots of grit and grind.On June 1, 1984, Patton opened the first Frankieís Bar and Grill on the Powers Boulevard corridor, when Kmart and Pizza Hut were the only two primary businesses in the area. Patton knew Colorado Springs was growing, and the east side had the space to accommodate the growth. As Powers Boulevard quickly grew, Patton had a gold mine.Fast forward to 2004, the growth was moving farther east, and Falcon had become a hot spot for development. Old and new residents of Falcon were hungry for a restaurant/bar, and Patton seized the opportunity.Over the years, Patton has fed the needs of the communities in more ways than one. Patton is also known for his continuous efforts to help military veterans and other nonprofit organizations.Itís a love of country, Colorado and family that energizes himA Colorado native, Patton hails from Aurora, outside of Denver. He graduated from Aurora Central High School in 1971, and attended Metropolitan State College in Denver to become a civil engineer, with a minor in interior design. However, after three years, he had to drop out of college and get a job to help his dad provide for the family. ìI came from a low-income family, and you just had to work,î Patton said. ìEverybody worked.îPatton began working for a trucking company as a driver in 1975. Within about eight years, he went from driving a truck to working as a dispatcher and then moved into sales.In 1983, he decided he wanted to own a bar. ìI decided I didnít want to do it in Denver, so I did research and found this spot on Powers and Galley,î Patton said. ìPowers only went up to Constitution (Avenue) back then.î At age 31, he opened Frankieís Bar & Grill, despite some skeptics.ìThey said, ëReally a nice place, but youíre never going to make it,íî Patton said. ìThe reason they said that is because I was the only one out there.î However, Patton remained optimistic. He said the first few years were tough, but business from nearby Peterson Air Force helped established Frankieís as ìtheî neighborhood bar. As the population headed east and the Powers corridor commercial area expanded, Patton realized his goals — and some personal achievements as well.Shortly after opening his business, Patton met Kathy (now Patton), who worked at the bank near Frankieís Bar and Grill. He made frequent visits to the bank for business purposes; and, on one of his visits, Kathy asked Patton to be her date for a bank function. The date lasted. ìWe have been together for 28 years and married for 25 years,î he said. After more than 20 years as an established business owner, Patton decided to expand farther east. After construction on a strip mall in Falcon got under way, Patton decided it was the right place to set up shop. While building his new restaurant, he and Kathy decided to move to Black Forest and build a new house at the same time.On July 15, 2004, he opened Frankieís Too! in Falcon. Patton wanted Frankieís Too! to be a full-sized restaurant, so he expanded the menu they offered at the Powers location. ìThere was no place to eat out here,î Patton said. ìSo I worked hard on my food (selections).î He said he wanted a place in Falcon where people could meet for food, drinks, camaraderie and business. ìPeople like to gather, talk and socialize,î Patton said. ìItís a meeting place. People say, ëI will meet you at Frankieís.îSeveral groups meet on a regular basis at Frankieís Too! Motorcycle groups have designated Frankieís Too! a routine stop for their cross-country trips. ìWe are not a biker bar, like some people think … but we have an ideal location, with Highway 24 and Woodmen, to be a stopping point for these guys,î Patton said.Frankieís Too! is also a popular spot for military men and women, and Patton is an avid supporter of veterans. He supports three to four different motorcycle groups each year that raise money for veterans — one motorcycle group has more than 400 bikers, he said. ìFrankieís has always been a hangout for the military,î he said. ìI love my country and like supporting our country and those that protect our country.îA few years ago, the designer of the POW flag, Newt Heisley, visited Colorado Springs. ìHe came out to visit me because people told him, ëYou need to go out and see Frankie because he supports all of our troops,íî Patton said, adding that Heisley said he would ìlove toî meet Frankie. When they met, Heisley gave Patton an autographed version of the POW flag. ìHe was more than gracious to talk to everybody,î Patton said. ìNot just me — but everybody.îIn addition to supporting veterans, Patton has helped raise money for other charitable organizations like TESSA and the Iron Pigs — another motorcycle group advocating for police officers and firefighters. ìWe had our own personal bike ride, which we raised money for TESSA,î Patton said. ìWe raised a lot of money for them.î For five years, Patton organized a motorcycle run for TESSA that started at Frankieís Bar and Grill and ended at Frankieís Too! He also organized similar motorcycle runs for breast cancer. Patton also participated in the rides. ìI donít have a motorcycle myself, so I usually follow everybody in my jeep,î he said. ìI usually take the top off my jeep, and my wife and I follow everybody when we can.îIn September 2015, Patton sold Frankieís Bar and Grill on Powers Boulevard, which allows for a bit more free time. ìI am 62 years old. It is time for me to slow down,î Patton said. ìI would like to play more golf and spend more time with my wife,î but he isnít ready to retire. ìI will be here (Frankieís Too!) every day,î he said. Looking back over his 30-plus years in business, Patton understands what to do and what not to do to be successful. ìIf people want to ask me about opening up a business, I can tell you better what not to do than what to do; and thatís only from experience,î he said. ìIf there is anything that I do well, it is I surround myself with wonderful people, and that is the secret to my success.î
