Dreamland CEO addresses chamber

In 1958, a longtime brick mason in Tuscaloosa prayed for guidance on a new way to support his family. The answer came in a dream — open a café. That man, John “Big Daddy” Bishop, passed away in 1996, but the family of rib restaurants he founded lives on, as does his face in the Dreamland logo.

Today, Betsy McAtee presides over Dreamland Holdings, which oversees eight Dreamland restaurant locations as well as its shipping, concession, fundraising and retail business. Her father, a longtime fan of Dreamland and friend of Bishop, had gone into business with Bishop, and she took over the company as CEO eight years ago.

McAtee addressed the Homewood Chamber of Commerce at its Feb. 17 luncheon about Dreamland and its five pillars of longevity. Emphasizing the company’s values, she talked about how they treat everyone like family since they are a family business. Also key is Dreamland’s distinctiveness.

“We cook over an open fire,” McAtee said. “Insurance companies don't like it, but we feel it's the best representation of our flavor. It’s the way Mr. Bishop taught my father and my father taught me.”

Further, McAtee discussed the importance of focusing on continuing both in the tradition of the past 50 years and changing with the times, by adding salads and other menu items.

“We want to maintain that growth and longevity for the next 50 years,” she said. “The more things change, the more we stay the same. We will always be cognizant of what is going on and incorporate that into our business.”

At the end of the day, though, McAtee said her favorite part of the business is “shaking hands and kissing babies” in the restaurants. Her schedule allows her to be in the restaurants two days a week.