Meet Mr. Chris Hagen, Owner of Broadway Cafe Restaurant & Pub, a favoured haunt for expats and Tianjnites, alike! We at Jin caught up with Mr. Hagen and asked him about his life and business in Tianjin.

Jin: First, Mr. Hagen, (or can we call you Chris?) How old are you and where are you originally from?
Chris: First, yes, you can call me Chris. I'm 30 years old and originally from Orange, California.

Jin: How long have you lived in Tianjin?
Chris: 10 years. I lived here from 1986-91; and then returned in 1997,
for a 'visit' with my folks, and I am still here!

Jin: What brought you to Tianjin originally?
Chris: My dad, Mike Hagen, was working for Galtronics as General Manager and Vice President of Asia business. (Galtronics makes antennas for cellular phones).

Jin: Did you attend school in Tianjin?
Chris: Yes. I went to TIS/MTI International School. At that time there were only 50 students in the entire school. I graduated in 1991 and by "I", I mean ME, I was the ONLY one! But, I was in the top 3% of my
class and was Valedictorian. The school was down to 27 students by
the time I left. The school is doing much better now I believe.

Jin: Did you study in the states?
Chris: Yes, at Wheaton College in Chicago for a Bachelor degree in Journalism and Art which I graduated from in 1995. I then went to work in North Carolina as a journalist.

Jin: Do you have any family in Tianjin?
Chris: Sure do. My lovely wife, Annie, and my beautiful, healthy and quite large son, Tristen who is almost 16 months old. And he is bi-lingual, of course! He and Annie keep me very happy and BUSY!

Jin: Did you plan on marrying a Tianjin gal?
Chris: Hey, I didn't plan on marrying anybody, period...I just simply fell in love.

Jin: Do you have any family in the states?
Chris: Yes, my mom, Pam, and younger brothers Richard, his wife Jody, and Charlie.

Jin: What do you enjoy most about Tianjin?
Chris: I would have to say the people of Tianjin, first and foremost. And Tianjin is really a great city with a very exciting future, and I feel it is a great place to invest in, with all the progress and changes happening. I really like to see this. It is very exciting for me and of course my business. Remembering how Tianjin was when I left in 1991 and how vastly it has changed is really an awesome thing to see, and hopefully,
contribute to.

Jin: Ok, now let's talk about your very successful business here, Broadway Caf¨¦. Now, we understand that your father Mike Hagen, founded the business back in 1998 and it was originally located on Mu Nan Dao, and your mother Pam, was a big help in getting the chefs and menu up to par. What role did you play in the beginning?
Chris: Well, like I said earlier, I came in 1997 for a visit and my dad and our Chinese partner talked to me about this idea they had for a restaurant /bar in Tianjin. I liked what they had to say right away, so without much arm-twisting, I decided to become a small investor and manage the bar. I left my job in North Carolina and returned to Tianjin that summer and worked alongside my mom and dad for some time to come. Great memories...but then, as many of my friends know, last November, my father passed away unexpectedly. This was a very difficult time for me. I had thoughts of just packing it in and returning to the States. But I changed my mind when I attended my father's memorial, and saw almost 700 people there who knew and cared for my father. This really struck me deeply and I knew that I had to stay and keep the business running, in his honor. Those who knew him, know how my dad loved Broadway and how much time, energy and himself he poured into it. I just couldn't let it pass away, too. To this day, I do not regret my decision to stay and to keep the doors open and his memory alive!

Jin: How have you seen your business change and grow over the past year or so?
Chris: Well, I am happy to say, more local clientele are visiting
Broadway on a regular basis. This is really a great thing to see and
it was one of Broadway's main goals, so I couldn't be happier!

Jin: How many staff do you have working at Broadway? And do you have any plans to branch out further in Tianjin?
Chris: Well, funny you should ask. Right now, I've increased my staff up to 40. This is mainly because I am working on 'branching out' and opening Franchises. The new doors will open around the end of July or first of August. This will be a coffee house/bar/pub with a limited dining menu, with TV's, foosball, and pool tables. It will be located on the "Bar Street" near the Friendship Store on You Yi Lu.

Jin: What are some of the obstacles that you have had to overcome to be a successful restauranteur/manager in Tianjin?
Chris: We all know that guanxi (relationship) is one of the most important things necessary for getting things done in China. And that does not happen overnight. But once guanxi is there, a lot more things become possible. Also, probably finding people out there that are willing to work in a foreign/expat atmosphere. And then training them, which takes about up to 2 months.

Jin: Many of us have enjoyed seeing the same warm, friendly faces when we come to Broadway. What is your secret to keeping a low turnover?
Chris: I am very proud and fortunate to have such great long-term employees! And, this is challenging, in any restaurant. But, I've found that good training, and high standards, along with strong encouragement to share ideas and/or comments, is a good start. And of course, paying well doesn't hurt!

Jin: What would you recommend to someone wanting to do the same and become successful, as you have done...any secrets???
Chris: Well, the main 'secret' I can think of that I'm willing to share is that you must be willing to find ways for people to be comfortable and enjoy spending their time (& money) in your establishment. We are a restaurant first, a bar second, and entertainment venue, third. Priorities in that order work very well for Broadway.

Jin: Where do you see yourself in five years?.....ten years?
Chris: Hmmm..let's see...in five years, I see myself traveling throughout Asia (mainly China) checking on my fine establishments...and in ten
years...that's easy, me and my much larger family will be living in the
States in a cabin in the mountains on about 2 acres, where horns are
seen and not heard...no smoke stacks, no looking at the sun without
sunglasses, etc., you get the picture. But I will forever be traveling
back and forth to China/Asia as it has a special spot in my heart and is
also home to me!

Jin: Ok, thanks so much, Chris, for taking time to sit down and chat with Jin. We wish you the very best and continued success...Now, something smells really good, so let's EAT!

Ok, for those of you who have NOT been to Broadway yet, here are some more details of this fine place...

Broadway has a full Western menu along with other cuisines from all around the globe. It also offers home-baked pastries and serves excellent coffee and more from its three bars. It also houses games such as pool , foosball, shuffleboards, darts and on weekends serves up a live band for added entertainment. It also has a courtyard in which guests can dine, drink, dance and even play volleyball (it has a sand volleyball court).

No. 7 Huan Hu Zhong Road, Ti Yuan Bei
Hexi District, Tianjin, China 300060
Tel: 2352-4510