The Man Who Can't Quit Building Things At The Lake | Ep. 20 w/ George Tucker

If you’ve lived at or visited Lake of the Ozarks for even five minutes, you’ve eaten at — or boated to — something George Tucker built.

Paradise, Tucker’s Shuckers, Frankie & Louie’s, Neon Taco, Malted Monkey… the list goes on.

So how does a guy go from buying a worn-out lake bar in 2007 as a new college grad, to becoming one of the Lake's most prolific restauranteurs who is now developing one of the largest entertainment complexes the Lake has ever seen?

In this interview, George reveals...

• How he stupidly (but brilliantly) bought Paradise at age 23 ("I think it was stupidity... but it worked out!")

• That moment when his bartender fell through the floor and he thought "What have I gotten myself into?"

• Why Malted Monkey exists (hint: kids throwing rocks at Tucker’s)

• The scramble to buy Beavers at the Dam at a steal of a price

• The story behind the name “Neon Taco”

• Behind-the-scenes of the giant new project by Bagnell Dam and how it was almost built out of bamboo

• What the Lake still needs to become a year-round community

• Oasis, trails, airports, housing, and the future of the Strip

And why he can't seem to quit buying and building stuff at the Lake (he says he's done after this big one, but I'm not sure he even believes himself).

AND… I share the story of the lion that once lived on the Strip. Yes. Real lion.

When I first started this podcast, I put George Tucker on my interview list. I knew it was a good idea, and I know you'll agree.