Most people are lucky to have one job they enjoy, but Parker and Emily Ganem are in the fortunate position to have two. Parker serves as founder and CEO of Ganem Companies — a construction, architecture, development and property management firm located in Phoenix. In her role as executive vice president, Emily oversees the accounting and marketing teams, helping turn plans on paper into real-life results.
Together, the couple co-own Sky Restaurant Concepts — the group behind Squid Ink, Highball Cocktail Bar and Sparrow, which opens this fall at The Trailhead. AZRE magazine sat down with Parker and Emily to learn why the decision to enter a new sector was made and how finding success can look similar for both businesses.
The following responses have been edited for clarity and length.
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AZRE: Parker, you founded Ganem Construction. Why venture into this sector?
Parker Ganem: Part of it was to diversify, but there was also the need for more restaurants in Peoria. The northern part of the city is pretty wealthy, but there aren’t many dining options beyond QSRs [quick service restaurants]. I thought Peoria needed something more sophisticated, and that’s how Squid Ink was born. People have been taking care of us ever since.
AZRE: Both Squid Ink and Sparrow are located in Peoria. Do you all have a connection to the city?
Emily Ganem: I’m born and raised in what we like to call the Upper West Side. Parker has roots in Phoenix, but we live in Peoria, and I don’t know if we’ll ever leave it. My family is there, and we’re deeply involved in the community. It’s where our hearts are.
AZRE: Construction and hospitality seem like two very different businesses. Is that the case?
PG: With both companies, we always try to give clients the best product possible and a great customer experience, whether we’re serving food or delivering a building. But with restaurants, you’re only with them for maybe two hours, versus construction where a project could take two years. That short time span means people have a heightened sense of awareness. They’ll remember if something is off, especially because the point of leaving the house was to relax.
In construction, you might be working with someone who is making the biggest decision of their life by going forward with a project. Emotions are involved with that, just like in hospitality, but the difference is that those feelings are stretched out over many months.
EG: Like Parker said, the biggest distinction between the businesses is the time we have with the client. People go to restaurants for three things: the food, the ambiance and the experience. Delivering on those expectations in a short amount of time is our No. 1 priority.
But with both companies, having systems and processes in place is important for everything to run smoothly. We can’t do it all by ourselves, and we have incredible teams who are critical to our success.
AZRE: What should readers know about the menu at Sparrow?
PG: We call it American eclectic, because that’s what Americans are. We’re from all over the world and bring different cultures together — it’s what makes us special. Using that description also lets us change up the menu, so guests never know what we’re going to bring. But since it’s American-style food, it’ll be something people want to eat every day, as opposed to Squid Ink, which I’ve always seen more as a place people want to go on a Friday night.
EG: When I think of the word eclectic, I imagine a row of food trucks. You can grab a Korean fried chicken sandwich from one truck, then get mac and cheese from another. Is that American food? Maybe, but it’s definitely the American experience. Whether it’s food, music, language or just how people express themselves, it’s all a mix and constantly evolving — just like Sparrow will be.
