We had the good fortune of connecting with Niels Kreipke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Niels, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
26 years ago when I moved to Chandler I was exploring to find unique restaurants and to my surprise there were only corporate chains. So I decided to spearhead the effort to have local concepts with mom and pop operators. I came across downtown Chandler which had been boarded up for over 30 years and thought this was the perfect place to create a destination restaurant and entertainment area. I met with the City and some property owners and moved forward with the effort to creating a vibrant area. Later in my career, I decided to open some restaurant venues within our properties that would be additions to the downtown which included Recreo (Chandlers Playground), The Uncommon and Tipsy Egg. All three restaurants were opened this year and are being very well received.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started my development and construction company with the sole goal of providing opportunities and support for local “Mom and Pop” businesses. Over my 26 year career I have never done a corporate deal and I am proud to have helped one 70 small businesses get their start. There are always hurdles throughout one’s career, but staying positive, listening to everyone to make better, more informed decisions, and finding win-win scenarios/solutions for all involved have been my strengths. Most of the projects I have taken on have been abandoned properties that needed a new vision, heavy investment and determination to ensure that they came to fruition and have a positive impact on the neighborhoods and the community in which they were located. By working together with stakeholders and other entrepreneurs, the projects have had better success and a broad range of visitors and guests.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would highly recommend downtown Chandler and the amazing mix of restaurant, bars, entertainment venues and hotels. It is a true destination and entertainment district that has many events in the surrounding public parks that enhances one’s experience. I would recommend Recreo (Chandler’s Playground), The Uncommon and Tipsy Egg as 3 local restaurants to try. Then I would pick your next stop to listen to country at Bourbon Jacks American Tavern or 80’s music (at The Uncommon) and I would tie in the trip by attending an event or two in the heart of the downtown.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Patti Bruno was part of Chandler City Council when I started to explore the potential of downtown Chandler. She was encouraging, positive and a resource that guided me through the process. She was a visionary and heartfelt in her desire to see the long forgotten area of downtown Chandler brought back to life and thrive like it did in the early 1900’s.

Website: recreoaz.com

Instagram: @recreochandler

Facebook: @recreochandler

Other: uncommonchandler.com instagram: @uncommonchandler Facebook: @theuncommonaz tipsyeggchandler.com instagram: @thetipsyeggchandler Facebook: @tipsyegg.og

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.