Concessionaire of the Month Mickey Neck
Ormic Concessions Brownsville, TX - Mickey Neck started Ormic Concessions with her late husband Oran over 20 years ago, specializing in grilled beef, chicken and pork kabobs, beef BBQ, smoked turkey legs, and Dippin’ Dots ice cream throughout the South and Midwest. NICA News: Thank you for being able to speak to us! How long have you been a Concessionaire and member of NICA? Mickey Neck: I’m happy to say that my husband Oran and I had been in the business for 23 years. It has been quite a learning experience to say the least. We’ve been proud NICA Members for a little over 20 years. NN: What made you join NICA? MN: Oran and I met two great people who are known as Linda and Bill McKinney, who told us about NICA and how helpful they could be. As an association created to protect and support Concessionaire members by keeping the lines of communication open with product vendors and Fair Managers alike is a value we couldn’t afford not to have. It was obvious that becoming a member was a must and we have benefited from these connections by staying current on the latest trends, laws, or regulations that affect Concessionaires in the industry.
Mickey’s Grill, one of Ormic Concessions’ units
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September 2015 NICA News
Mickey & Oran Neck, Ormic Concessions
NN: How and why did you get in to the concession business? MN: When Oran retired after 25 years of working for the government, we had a friend who had been in the Concession business and was successful selling giant cinnamon rolls. We bought our very first novelty unit from him, which was an oversized Coca-Cola can with a hydraulic headset that moved up and down while music played. We had some good times in that unit but outgrew it quickly. We are thankful for our time in that unit though, because we learned so much about the business and how being unique in a competitive industry is so essential. NN: What do you like most about being a Concessionaire? MN: Well, I would be lying if I didn’t say that getting to count all of those “George Washington” notes at the end of the night, which absolutely makes all of the challenges and sacrifices of this business very much worth all of the effort! But for the most part, we have completely enjoyed the friendships that we have forged over these years. Getting to know good, hardworking folks who are in this business for prosperity is a fact, but we surely have found the friendships to be the true by-product and the best part of being a Concessionaire! NN: What are your most popular or best selling products? MN: Of course, the basis of our business has been founded on our giant turkey legs. These have never failed to be a big sell-out for us over