In September of 2004 Carlsbad added a new spice to its downtown fete of eateries, Las Olas Restaurant. Two months ago the restaurant acquired a new employee to oversee the impressive momentum it is currently experiencing. Meet Tim Ranson, the 24 year-old General Manager for Las Olas Restaurant in the Village.

Ranson, the previous assistant general manager for Las Olas' Cardiff location manages a crew of around fifty in Carlsbad. He compares his new role to that of a team captain, stepping in to make final calls and delegating certain tasks, but still a major player in the overall day-to-day grind of keeping the restaurant going. For him the "daily grind" ranges anywhere from 5 to 7 days a week and 8 to 12 hours per shift.

"I really enjoy working here," says Ranson as he leans forward in one of the dining chairs, clasping his hands together on the table. "You've really got to be on your toes and I love that. Plus, the family atmosphere is so awesome. It's a nice little team we have here."

As Ranson is talking, his other "teammates" scurry about making the necessary daily preparations prior to the restaurant opening and throwing smirks in his direction. Ransom says the clientele at Las Olas ranges from young surfers and beach goers and families, to an 80-something year old regular that comes to the restaurant almost every day and has a great relationship with the staff. In the summer there are a lot of tourists that frequent the restaurant.

When asked why Las Olas chose Carlsbad for their second location Ranson said because it was a "prime area in the heart of the Village with a wonderful SoCal vibe. People take pride in Carlsbad and we wanted to be a part of that."

In the future Ranson hopes to someday own his own bar or restaurant. He says he does not foresee leaving Las Olas anytime soon because of the great environment and the fact that he's able to learn so much, but he definitely has plans for the future. As for keeping people satisfied when they come to the restaurant, Ranson's recipe for success is: "Make 'em laugh and always make sure the customer leaves happy."

Las Olas is located at 2939 Carlsbad Blvd. in downtown Carlsbad. The telephone number for the restaurant is (760) 434-5850.

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