back space getting to know kevin robinson and mario tricoci Meet-Cute Mario Tricoci: We met through a mutual friend nearly 11 years ago. The combination of our strengths and weaknesses complement the needs for success very well. Kevin Robinson: Mario and I are as diverse a partnership as two can be, which helps us cover a lot of ground. Collectively, we have considerable bandwidth, and that allows us to move into areas that are untouchable to other hotel groups. Cofounders, Aparium Hotel Group Chicago Local firm El Dorado reimagined the former Pabst Brewing Company as the Crossroads Hotel in Kansas City Work-Life Balance KR: Lifestyle hotels are not a business model, they're a way of life. You have to live it to understand it and believe in it, otherwise you are just copying what others have done. Content Creators MT: Storytelling was something we talked about years ago. That was born from our passion to create spaces that invited the guest to participate in a special experience. Then the conversation switched to telling a narrative, which integrated a higher level of service that provided the guest an inside look into our partnerships. Now we are all about emotional content. How do you feel? That's all that matters. We want each guest to feel welcomed and at home. 160 June 2019 hospitalitydesign.com The rustic Lazia restaurant in the Crossroads Hotel Photos courtesy of APARIUM HOTEL GROUP First of its Name MT: Aparium is a Latin-inspired word derived from apiary. Similar to a beehive, we are highly efficient and productive, with a touch of organized chaos. We created a word that signifies our unique brand of translocal hospitality so we could liberate ourselves from terms like boutique.http://www.hospitalitydesign.com