BOTKINS – Carl and Karla Doseck decided they were ready to move on. Their granddaughter Taylor Doseck realized she wasn’t ready to leave.
The confluence of events this past spring spurred Carl and Karla’s decision to retire from The Palazzo, leaving Bob and Jenni Doseck as the sole owners of the reception venue and banquet hall in Botkins. Taylor, the daughter of Bob and Jenni, has stepped in to take over the day-to-day operations of the family business and is seeking to build upon the foundation her parents and grandparents created.
“Taylor is a wonderful person,” Karla said. “She is learning so fast. I think she has more ideas of what a bride expects.
“She’s more hip than we were.”
Since the family purchased the business in 2004, Carl and Karla have managed the property and transformed it into an elegant venue that hosts weddings, receptions and other events.
“Carl has put in all the hard work that’s got everything running pretty smoothly,” Bob said. “His years of hard work have just laid the groundwork for a smooth transition.”
This past spring, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced The Palazzo to close for three months, Carl and Karla discovered they enjoyed the less hectic schedule. That realization, along with Taylor’s graduation from the Wright State University-Lake Campus in Celina, was the catalyst for the couple’s decision to retire.
“We’re like, ‘Wow, we really like being home and not coming over here every day,’” Karla said.
Taylor, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, planned to further her education with an occupational therapy degree. However, that career trajectory probably would have forced her to leave Botkins, an idea she really didn’t like.
So she was thrilled when she learned she’d have an opportunity to remain in her hometown and take over the management of The Palazzo.
“It was always kind of like something that I wanted to do but never seemed like something that could happen,” Taylor said.
The Palazzo being closed during the spring provided the perfect opportunity for Taylor to learn the intricacies of running the business. She already had a strong understanding of the operation, having worked part-time in numerous roles over the past 10 years, but gained more knowledge from her grandfather about things like placing orders, paying bills and billing customers.
Bob, who runs an online marketing firm, and Jenni, who works as a nurse practitioner at an OB-GYN office, also became more active in running the business.
“The time when we didn’t have any events was nice because we could kind of figure things out,” Taylor said.
On July 1, Carl and Karla officially retired and let the younger generations assume the responsibilities of running The Palazzo.
“They kicked me out the first day,” Carl said with a laugh.
Outside of some minor tweaks such as technology upgrades, Bob, Jenni and Taylor don’t plan many changes to The Palazzo. The family already made big upgrades to the facility over the past 16 years.
“When we bought the place there was a hole in the door out there, and there was birds flying in and out,” Karla said.
Prior to purchasing the facility, Bob and Jenni celebrated their wedding there while it was known as the Top Hat Country Club. At that time it lacked a lot of amenities, but Carl saw potential.
“Carl had always said this could be a really nice place,” Bob said. “It just needed some hard work.”
The family bought the business and made numerous upgrades to the ceiling tiles, walls, carpet, stage, dance floor and bathrooms. They added windows and an office, fixed the air conditioner and bought new tables and chairs among other improvements.
“When Bob and Jenni got married here there wasn’t even enough silverware for the head table,” Karla said. “But now we have silverware for like 500 people and china and the whole nine yards.”
Now, people who rent The Palazzo don’t need to worry about supplying their own decorations, utensils, food or drinks.
“They can literally just walk in that morning, that night, take their gifts, and they’re all done,” Karla said.
Carl and Karla now will get to enjoy some time with fewer responsibilities.
He’s excited to play more golf, and she’s looking forward to scrapbooking. They also plan to spend time with their eight grandchildren and travel, hoping to visit places such as Alcatraz and Mount Rushmore.
“Over the years all Carl’s hard work and everything has just made this place into something special that not only we can be proud of but the community can be proud of,” Bob said. “It’s nice to have something like this in our community.”
