No exposé’ on popular romantic sims in
SL would be complete without including the various iterations of Franks that
are to be found by the intrepid entertainment aficionado. Long a mainstay of the “Fine Dancing” genre,
Franks Entertainment Group, consisting of five separate entertainment venues,
ranks among the finest on the grid.
While attending a Tina Turner tribute
concert a few nights ago, I happened upon Mr. William Zeta, Owner of Franks
Entertainment Group. While Miss Turner
was off-stage changing costumes, I managed to corral Mr. Zeta and ply him with
questions about this most remarkable and Iconic venue.
Josh (Thomas 1 Bellic) (JB)
Hi William. Thanks for agreeing to chat with me. What a gorgeous place
you have here. Frank's Elite has long been iconic among the fine dancing venues
in SecondLife. How did you happen to get involved in this business?
William Zeta (WZ): Thank you very much. Frank's Entertainment
Group (FEG) has a very long tradition in second life. Fortunately, from the
beginning, I've been part of that (some as inspiration but mainly as a silent
partner paying tier fees). For example, folks might not know, Sphynx Jazz Club
was where Nanceee (the original founder and sole owner) first danced in SL, my
home SL became what is Frank's Elite today, and my home's name Chateau d'Sphynx
inspired the name for our famous dining experience—Chateau d'Elite. And, when Nanceee left, she handed the baton
to me.
I'm proud of the history of Frank's
Entertainment Group and excited about the future of Frank's.
JB:
I understand Frank's Elite is not the only venue you manage. In fact, I
have heard there are actually five main venues. Tell me about those please?
WZ:
Frank's has been in existence for 15 years now. We have seen many copy
our name, even use our builds, and tag our name in their social media to use
all the good nature and experiences we have built over time. But I would like
to clear up some misinformation; all of our venues have been in continuous
operation, are open, and are the first of their kind venues and experiences in
Second Life:
·
Frank's Jazz—This venue is open to all, with DJs,
live singers, and an event or two poolside (don't miss the Playdolls monthly
pool party:).
·
Frank's Elite Jazz—Our private club with events and
shows for members only.
·
Bogart's Karaoke Bar & Cafe—Our fun and
informal space that releases the singing performer in you.
·
Sphynx Jazz—Our small intimate performance
venue, with the tagline, "bring your ID, not your EGO."
·
Chateau d'Elite—Our private dining venue
We also have many smaller spaces to
enjoy from Nina's Hall, Chez Frank, Elite's Chapel, Frank's Jazz Pool &
Beach, etc.
JB:
Surely an operation this size is more than a one-man show. Who are some
of the key folks who help in sim development and management?
WZ:
“Man show” is probably the wrong gender! We have a great team of women
that are inspiring! First is Ms. Persia, our GM, and my right (also left) hand
woman. She has an incredible work ethic and attention to operations that allow
Frank's, to be Frank's. Sphynx Jazz Club is run by Ms. Yukie Le. Ms. Pru is our decorating expert. DJ Patrick
produces CUTS. DJ Filo focuses on marketing. And, our builds are done by Mr.
Wetherby. Ms. Nina, Ms. Tali, Ms. Quinn, Ms. Rosa, Ms. Ninette, Ms. Jenn, Ms.
Rati, and Ms. Jolie are critical parts of our management team. And we're
excited that Ms. Petra Steele recently joined us, focusing on creating new
types of events. Talk about a
powerhouse team! And, of course, our
team is supported by many wonderful hosts, DJs, and live singers!
JB:
So…what is it that makes your venues different from all the other Dance
venues out there?
WZ:
We never forget who is first and foremost in our minds every day. All
our decisions begin with and end with how this benefits those who visit our
venues. In fact, I spend a significant amount of time talking with members
about their experiences. They have taught me much. We know that people feel
better when they leave our venues. It is always reassuring to hear from our
VIPs, members, and guests who say their first or significant second life events
happen at a FEG venue.
Another key difference is that our
purpose is the experience in our venues and the quality of our services. I
mean, look at our team! Have you ever seen a large and talented group like ours
focusing on guests and members? That's their sole job. That's meant to engage
and delight!
Lastly, we invest heavily in developing our own technology specific to our venues. For example, none of the karaoke systems were available as simple and easy to use for streams and voice, so we wrote our own. We use a new event production system for CUTS and new immersive shows. Stop by Nina’s Hall to see what I mean: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Franks%20Jazz%20Club/68/82/24 There is a lot behind the scenes, such as a custom loyalty program--Frank's Star Points, and so much more.
JB:
I understand you also have a Loyalty Program? Tell me about that,
please?
WZ:
This is another exciting innovation, and nothing like it existed in SL
before. Today our guests collect Frank's Star points by visiting and engaging
in our venues. You can use those Star points toward services, such as our
award-winning Chateau d'Elite dining experience, Forevermore Weddings, gift
certificates, flowers, and various cute and fun gift items. You use our STAR
point vendors like you would use $L in vendors you are used to seeing. But
that's just the beginning. The future is exciting as we focus on the total
experience and have the capability to build a unique experience for our VIPs
and members. Our guests and members
create value for themselves just by engaging with our venues.
JB:
I imagine there must be a lot of details to take care of in managing an
operation of this magnitude. How do you prioritize them all?
WZ:
Frank's has been great at creating safe and engaging spaces for folks in
Second Life for over 15 years, always honoring our past while innovating and
changing continuously. You know you are successful when there are many copy-cat
clubs out there. We've never worried about copy-cats. Instead, we focus on what
we bring today and how we innovate in the future.
Creating the musical experiences, we
have a great lineup of live singers and DJs that call our venues home. Many
performers partner with us and work collaboratively on supporting and improving
their show in ways that go beyond just their performance.
Lastly, but equally important, is a
safe environment and memorable experience for our guests and members ensured by
our fantastic staff. They make all the difference.
To put it simply, our priority in
order is VIPs, Members, Guests, Entertainers, and Employees.
JB:
And what of the future? Any new developments on the horizon. Or
additional Venues planned?
WZ:
I'm excited by all the focus on metaverses in the tech world. We are in
the initial stages of leveraging the new tech we created last year. We will
push that as far as we can, creating unique experiences! We will be producing
new types of entertainment (more on that soon)! And a new venue? Hmm...
possibly!
JB:
Is there anything else you would like to share with our SL Enquirer
readers?
WZ:
We have some great events coming up!
NEW!! SpinMasters DJ—A fun
competition between DJs. March 27th at 7PM-9PM. Poolside at Frank's Jazz. Smart
casual and swimwear are recommended. You should soon see an announcement of our
competing DJ's.
Saint Patrick's Weekend—Irish fun
from March 17th to March 20th in all venues. It's not just a day for us, but an
entire weekend! Dress like a Leprechaun.
Our 15th Anniversary Celebration.
June 19th at all of our venues! A fantastic run enjoyed by so many guests,
members, staff, and owners!
So, there
you have it folks, Grab your dance
partner – or meet one there – and head on over to a Franks Entertainment Group
venue for what is truly destined to be a Night to Remember. Even if you used to go there, but haven’t
lately, give them a look-see. It will be well worth your time.
Be There!
Aloha!
JB
Franks Jazz http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Franks%20Jazz%20Club/140/128/23
Franks Elite
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Franks%20Place%207/132/49/26
Bogart’s
Karaoke Bar & Café http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Franks%20Jazz%20Club/75/186/24
Sphynx Jazz http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sphynx%20Forest/133/173/60
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/145473596358291/
Twitter https://twitter.com/KittVicy
Flickr https://www.flickr.com/groups/3166621@N23/pool/
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