WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.200 And welcome to Cindy Stumpo Toughest Nails on WBZ, and 2 00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:05.759 I'm here tonight with Sammy and I'm also here with 3 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:08.919 the owner of Wicked Craft Company. 4 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:10.119 Right, that's correct. 5 00:00:10.279 --> 00:00:10.759 What your name? 6 00:00:10.960 --> 00:00:13.640 My name's Steve, Steve Bisson. I'm the owner and operator, 7 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:16.480 so I run Wicked Craft as the general manager as well. 8 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:18.640 Okay, what is wicked Craft, Buddy. 9 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:22.120 Wicked Craft is it's Kraft Cocktails, craft beer, and all 10 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:24.600 the food comes out beautifully presented and crafted. But the 11 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:27.239 wicked is everything we do is kind of over the top, 12 00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:30.760 very big, big day party brunches Saturday and Sunday. All 13 00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:32.960 the food and all the drinks are presented, and there's 14 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:35.320 a lot of lights and energy inside the place, so 15 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:36.640 a big atmosphere. 16 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:39.399 So what is it a restaurant, bar, restaurant? 17 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:41.679 I would call it a lounge. It's definitely a restaurant, 18 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:44.640 you know, five to nine and then nine o'clock. Turn 19 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:47.280 the week we turned the lights down and the music up. 20 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:52.520 And on the weekends Saturday brunch and Sunday brunch, the 21 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:55.679 music's up immediately. A lot of energy, but great kind 22 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.560 of more breakfast style food. So it's kind of a lounge. 23 00:00:58.600 --> 00:00:59.920 I would call it a little bit of a mix 24 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:01.960 between kind of bar and restaurant. 25 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:03.240 And the location is we. 26 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:06.799 Have fifty four Salem Street, very first restaurant on Salem 27 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:08.680 Street in the North End, next to Chase Bank. 28 00:01:09.799 --> 00:01:11.560 So now let me ask you a question. Did you 29 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:12.799 grow up down the North End or do you just 30 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:13.560 pick that location? 31 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:15.200 I did not grow up in the North End. 32 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:16.959 I grew up you know of Italian? Are you telling? 33 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:19.200 I'm a little bit of a mix of everything, so 34 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:22.959 small percentage Italian, not enough to call myself Italian. 35 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:24.480 Though, Okay, so we can't give you enough of that, 36 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:25.200 but it's okay. 37 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:28.319 I grew up just south of the city Deadam Westwood line. 38 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.680 But I've been working in the city close to the 39 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:31.439 last ten years. 40 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:34.200 So you're a dead and Westwood boy on the border. 41 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:35.799 So were joined up at school. 42 00:01:35.959 --> 00:01:37.480 I went to Saverian Brothers. 43 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:39.760 Fortunate enough to go Severian and. 44 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:41.680 My father went there to forced me to go. He 45 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:44.599 said that kind of changed his life, and he was 46 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:46.319 adamant that I go, whether I liked it or not, 47 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:49.480 so it ultimately I did. I met some of my 48 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.599 best friends, I learned a lot, and yeah, I can't complain. 49 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:54.319 I'm very fortunate to have had the opportunity. 50 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:56.359 So okay, and you're how old now? 51 00:01:56.640 --> 00:01:58.239 I just turned thirty in February. 52 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:01.799 Wow, year old and this is your first restaurant. 53 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:02.879 It's my first restaurant. 54 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:04.359 Yes, and you opened it how long ago? 55 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:07.040 December seventh to twenty twenty one. We just celebrated three 56 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.080 years you. 57 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:10.439 Opened the congratulations right, So you opened up right in. 58 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.639 COVID coming out of it and I time, did I 59 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.199 think perfectly? We got a couple months of restrictions. 60 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:16.840 Oh yeah, yeah, it's still the out you had the 61 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:17.960 outdoor seating and all that. 62 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:19.719 We got that the first year and they did not 63 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:21.120 give that to us again in the north. 64 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:27.439 Yeahsho yeah. Christian Silvestri, all those guys, do you have 65 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:28.479 a restaurant background. 66 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:32.840 It's a funny story. I kind of did everything, you know, reverse, 67 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:35.080 instead of getting all the experience first, I got a 68 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.280 lot of education. Was fortunate enough to get my undergraduate 69 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:41.439 degree at Loyal University in PR and advertising. I minored 70 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:43.840 in marketing, and then I came back home and I 71 00:02:43.879 --> 00:02:46.240 wanted to get my master's degree and I went to 72 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:49.919 Berkeley's Business program in Valencia, Spain, and got a degree 73 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:52.800 in Global Entertainment and music business, so I kind of 74 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.759 thought I wanted to manage artists. I'm very passionate about 75 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.360 music and entertaining and bringing people together, and I thought 76 00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:01.719 that that was kind of where my career path lied. 77 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:04.319 But I came back from that and realized that the 78 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:09.080 live space is more where my you know, passion lies. 79 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:12.520 Growing up, I was always organizing parties in high school 80 00:03:12.599 --> 00:03:15.400 and college, making sure we had big speakers and a 81 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:17.400 good guy to grow ratio and people were going to 82 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:19.919 show up. And I really get a lot of enjoyment 83 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:23.360 of off of seeing people having fun and enjoying kind 84 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:26.520 of an atmosphere together. And so I realized that instead 85 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:30.080 of just music, kind of the whole scene of creating 86 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:33.680 a space was where my true passion lied. So I 87 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:38.280 actually hadn't worked in the restaurant industry until after I 88 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:42.199 came back from getting my master's degree, and so my 89 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:47.319 first kind of step into the entertainment and nightlife and 90 00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:51.439 hospitality industry was I took a job in security. Because 91 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:54.039 I had no experience, nobody would nobody would hire me. 92 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:58.639 So I went to an open house job fair for 93 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:02.919 a big night entertainment group at the Grant and I 94 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:05.479 went in there looking for a management position. They didn't 95 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:07.439 have any available at the time, but I also didn't 96 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:11.039 have any experience, so I took a job in security. 97 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:13.800 But they said they liked my enthusiasm and they said, 98 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:16.759 after six months, you can become eligible for our manager 99 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:18.720 and training program. And that's what I intended to do. 100 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.120 I told him that and I took the job. So 101 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:23.240 the one thing about security is that was the first 102 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:25.680 kind of step. You do a lot of watching. You're 103 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:28.000 looking at people and you're paying attention, and so I 104 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:31.120 was there to learn. I watched all the managers. I 105 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.920 watched you know, the security managers, the nightlife floor managers. 106 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:37.439 I was just paying attention to everybody as much as 107 00:04:37.439 --> 00:04:39.279 I could, and that was kind of a good foundation 108 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:42.439 for me. I went on to get more experienced later, 109 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:44.079 but that was kind of the first step. 110 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:48.480 So, but you threw yourself right in. Yeah, I liked it. 111 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:52.399 I learned like that. Yeah, I learned exactly what you 112 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:54.480 just explained. That's how I like to learn. Just jump 113 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.360 in and do it. Yeah, knowledge creates action, Action creates 114 00:04:57.399 --> 00:04:59.959 more knowledge. Action, knowledge knowledge action. That's what you did. 115 00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:04.079 So that was my chance so you added. Now my 116 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:07.680 son said, Mom, I need you to have Steve on 117 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:10.079 your show. You need But by every time he's there, 118 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:12.519 he comes back with like, his place is so cool, 119 00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:15.000 but come with me, Come have dinner with me down there. 120 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:17.439 I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm so tired. I'm 121 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:19.639 so tired. Right And as you know, we're at a 122 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:23.439 studio on a Saturay night many nights, right, So, but 123 00:05:24.839 --> 00:05:26.680 he loves it. Sam, have you been in there yet? 124 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:30.199 I have not, so we need to get Sam in there. 125 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:33.639 But Sammy, you not. You don't really go down the 126 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:34.959 northing very much, do you not? 127 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:35.319 Really? 128 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:40.920 Now? Why is that? Being an Italian girl with one 129 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:42.000 hundred percent Italian dad? 130 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:42.879 Is it? 131 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:44.639 Usually because there's never just like three or four of 132 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:46.519 us that want to go somewhere. Usually there's ten to 133 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:48.639 fifteen of us. So it's not the easiest to get 134 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:50.000 for all of us to eat together like that. 135 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:53.399 Really. Yeah, even if you call Frankie and say. 136 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:56.040 I don't like to do that unless it's someone's birthday 137 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:56.920 or something like that, I'm not. 138 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:57.360 Going to do that. 139 00:05:57.600 --> 00:05:59.480 And how many people does your restaurant hold? 140 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:03.160 Capacity? Is forty nine? As many restaurants in the North End. 141 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:06.120 It's a small, smaller restaurant, but we've done an awful 142 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:08.199 lot with it. So it's do. 143 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:09.600 You want to make that You want to make the 144 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.279 restaurant bigger, or you content with that right now in 145 00:06:12.279 --> 00:06:13.360 that location. 146 00:06:13.079 --> 00:06:15.759 We're in the process of trying to get the money together. 147 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.319 I got a small loan, but we're looking for other 148 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:21.680 investors to open up a new concept. I have the location. 149 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:24.240 I can't tell you too much about exactly where it is, 150 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:27.680 but it's a good location. It's a very very good location, 151 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:29.279 and looking to do something about two and a half 152 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:31.600 times the size. I think going too big is not good, 153 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:33.439 but something a little bit bigger. We aut grew the 154 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:35.959 forty nine seats pretty quick, so something little. 155 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:38.079 Filling those forty nine tables. 156 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:39.319 All the time, not all the time. You know, you 157 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:42.720 have those nine seats, forty nine seats in the restaurant. Okay, 158 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:46.480 I would love forty nine tables, but you know, you 159 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:48.800 have your slow days. But you know, for the most part, 160 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:52.160 we're we're we're busy. So and I like, what's your food? 161 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:55.480 I'll tell you no, Actually, we wanted to be something different. 162 00:06:56.439 --> 00:06:59.680 So all the other options in the North End are Italian. 163 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:01.240 We want to do something opposite, so it's more like 164 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:05.600 New American cuisine, big emphasis on the cocktails instead of 165 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:07.800 the wine program. And it kind of started as to 166 00:07:07.879 --> 00:07:10.279 be a kind of a beer garden. That was the first. 167 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:11.800 That was the idea. And there's a lot of plants 168 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:12.480 in the place, so that was. 169 00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:14.279 Kind of the word coming for the liquor the food. 170 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:16.720 They're coming in for both, absolutely coming in for both. 171 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.040 But it started as kind of a beer place instead 172 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.160 of a wine place in the North End, and it 173 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.399 very quickly had the cocktails come over. That's the most 174 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:26.800 popular thing. But we have phenomenal food as well. 175 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:29.800 So so give me, like, what what's a dish? Which 176 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:30.920 the most popular dish there? 177 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:32.920 I mean, we have we have a little bit of everything, 178 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:36.439 but the very popular dishes for dinner are we have 179 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:41.120 a Tarioki glaze salmon that's very popular, you know, sirloin 180 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.000 steak for brunch, the chicken and waffles. We only do 181 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.519 brunch to two times a week, but the chicken and 182 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.399 waffles outsells all of our dinner items. And we're we're open, 183 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:51.160 you know five days. 184 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:52.279 You ever had chicken and waffles? 185 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:56.439 No, what is so good that was my chef's idea, 186 00:07:56.519 --> 00:07:58.800 so I got to give him chicken and waffles. 187 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:00.800 It's the thing you see more down South than you 188 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.720 see it up here. But like it's literally like like 189 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:05.680 fried chicken on top of waffles. 190 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.519 It is so good, sounds like crazy, and then you 191 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.680 put your syrup on top of it. Okay, it sells 192 00:08:12.759 --> 00:08:14.720 so all right, Well someone will pick it up and 193 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:15.879 bring into my house, will be okay. 194 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:18.920 That's all weekends, weekends, Saturday and Sunday. 195 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:22.759 So now you've got another business plan that you're working 196 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:24.839 on and you're trying to raise investors. 197 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:26.399 Working on it, the meeting with some people. I'm supposed 198 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:28.160 to talk to some people after I leave here today. 199 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:31.720 You know, it's been kind of a slow and steady process, 200 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:34.720 but we're moving in a good direction. When I open 201 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:39.080 Wicked Craft, the entry investment was very low because the 202 00:08:39.200 --> 00:08:41.759 pandemic was, you know, in full swing, and everybody was 203 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:44.600 desperate to sell their liquor licenses. We got a big 204 00:08:44.639 --> 00:08:46.639 discount on the liquor license. No one wanted to open 205 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:50.080 a restaurant, so we negotiated and you know, next to 206 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:51.960 free rent and if you ask me, and. 207 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:55.399 Now now hold that thought for one minute, I'm Sody 208 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:57.840 stumping you listen to Toughest Nails on WBZ News Radio 209 00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:59.639 ten thirty. It'll be right back and welcome back to 210 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:03.720 City Stumbo Toughest Nails on WBZ News Radio ten thirty. Okay, 211 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:05.159 let's keep going. 212 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.919 So the entry you know, the amount of money it 213 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:11.120 costs to open a restaurant coming out of the pandemic. 214 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:13.559 You know, it's not the same things are back. So 215 00:09:14.039 --> 00:09:16.600 I was fortunate to have a very low entry cost 216 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:20.039 on the first to choose. Then, well, that was my opportunity, 217 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:22.399 you know. I saw that, and I spent the pandemic 218 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:24.720 kind of getting the money together and looking at locations 219 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:27.679 and filling my lack of experience gaps. But I knew 220 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:28.799 that that was the right time. 221 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:32.039 So I took it. Were your parents behind you? 222 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:36.080 My family's very supportive. I mean, the most supportive thing 223 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:38.759 that they've done is give me an education and advice 224 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:41.559 for the most part. But they've contributed in ways that 225 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:44.120 they can. But it's been a lot of people that 226 00:09:44.279 --> 00:09:46.720 know me supporting me, a lot of you know friends. 227 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:50.399 I haven't had anything to show until now, so the 228 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:52.440 only people that would invest are people that knew me 229 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:55.360 and kind of believed in me, and now we have 230 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:57.279 kind of numbers and things that. 231 00:09:57.399 --> 00:09:59.840 Well, now you can back up exactly exactly now you 232 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:02.600 have walked the walk. Yeah, so now you can talk 233 00:10:02.679 --> 00:10:04.639 the talk. You need that, right, you have to have 234 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:06.960 that behind you. So it's an easier for the second 235 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:08.759 race on the new place. 236 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:11.960 Still still challenging, but we're working. We're working on it. 237 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:15.320 It is I mean, we've just had some crazy market 238 00:10:16.039 --> 00:10:19.360 of course. Yeah, so like it's like everybody's been like 239 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:24.879 whoo so when anything starts coming down. But I do 240 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:27.000 have a question off the record for both you guys. 241 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:30.039 Did I hear that they finally have opened up a 242 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:34.519 country music bar in Boston? Is that a story? 243 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:37.840 I know they have what's the name of the place, 244 00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:42.159 Nash Bar downtown, but I don't know if there's another one. 245 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:43.799 You're thinking of line dancing and all that. 246 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:45.840 So that's in Fenway and it's like a certain night 247 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:47.360 of the week maybe Loretto's. 248 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:51.320 Yeah, So it's not really like Charlie walk said that 249 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:53.120 he just opened up one. I was just wondering if 250 00:10:53.159 --> 00:10:53.960 Boston not like. 251 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:57.240 Well, I mean there's I mean maybe, but I wouldn't 252 00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:58.600 really consider how about the moon country. 253 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.919 I try and stay very very on top of what's opening, 254 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:04.919 and I take the team to go check any new 255 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:08.840 places out and I haven't heard of anything recently, at least. 256 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:10.200 How did you build your team? 257 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:13.840 How I built my team? I think the most important 258 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:18.039 part of it starts with my chef, Danny. His real 259 00:11:18.120 --> 00:11:21.120 name's Gaetano. He's Italian, but everybody calls him Danny Danny 260 00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:23.759 de Simoni. And I was very, very fortunate to get 261 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:27.080 connected with him. Early on, we were struggling to find 262 00:11:27.080 --> 00:11:29.320 a legitimate chef. You should have seen the people that 263 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.480 were coming in for interviews. Who wants to work? You know, 264 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:33.480 I'm opening a new restaurant and it's heard of me. 265 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:35.840 But I found his resume online and gave him a call, 266 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.960 and he called me back and he came in, and 267 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:40.039 I was very impressed. He owned a restaurant for twenty 268 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:43.200 three years, LaVita, Mia and Saugus, and it only closed 269 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:46.039 down because of the pandemic. And my only opportunity was 270 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:48.919 to open because of the pandemic. And we just connected 271 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:50.960 at the right time. And he's been with me since 272 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:53.320 day one and still with me now, and he's done 273 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.480 a lot for me, and I consider him not only 274 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:58.240 a talented chef, but a great friend, and he's got 275 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:00.840 a lot of ideas beyond just the food. He suggested 276 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:02.399 we put the tree. I got a tree in the 277 00:12:02.440 --> 00:12:04.440 middle of the restaurant and we were trying to think 278 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.440 of what to do with that space there, and that 279 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:08.879 was his idea. So he's been a big, big part 280 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:10.399 of the place and had my back through a lot 281 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:12.440 of ups and downs and people coming and going. So 282 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:17.840 that was the first one. And my bar manager, Katerina Januzzi, 283 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.159 she was a friend of mine before she came to 284 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:22.320 work there, and I try and not have friends work 285 00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.440 for me at all. It's you know, not a good 286 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:26.559 thing and it can get complicated. But you know, it 287 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:28.519 would have been a mistake not to have her in there. 288 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:32.159 She's very, very talented, she's young, she's a smart, you know, 289 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:34.480 young female who understands our market. We've got a lot 290 00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:36.559 of women who come in there, and she's a huge 291 00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:39.080 asset to the team, and you know, I just decided 292 00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:40.600 that it would have it would have been more of 293 00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:42.200 a mistake not to bring her in than to bring 294 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.600 her in. So really the two of them have kind 295 00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:46.720 of been the backbone with me of the place, and 296 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:48.759 they've been with me. Danny's been with me for almost 297 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:52.600 four years and everyone calls her CJ. But Katerina, she's 298 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:56.159 been with me, I think for close to three years now. 299 00:12:56.639 --> 00:12:59.639 You think you got a big personality me, yeah. 300 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:01.600 Ah, I like to make it about the business, so 301 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.639 I don't know. I wouldn't say that I have a 302 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:03.320 big personality. 303 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:06.159 So when you're in the restaurant and you talking to people, 304 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:08.720 you hang in, you stay. You know, I've got friends 305 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:11.720 on many restaurants down there, right, and they're very engaged 306 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:15.240 with the clients. They've built their clientele, same face as, 307 00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:17.799 same people. And it's always been like that down the 308 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:20.159 North End. Once you have your favorite restaurant, that's where 309 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:20.399 you go. 310 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:21.000 Yeah. 311 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:23.720 It was like that forever and it's still like that. 312 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.759 So if I like your personality, i'd be in your restaurant. 313 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:29.840 I liked your personalit. I went to your restaurant, right, absolutely. 314 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:32.240 I didn't like anybody's personally, like the Daily Catch, But 315 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:34.720 because I like the fry klamari so good so much, 316 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:36.759 I didn't care about anybody's personal because the only place 317 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:38.159 I was going to get my fried calamari. 318 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:40.080 Right, It's great if you can have both, though, and 319 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:42.320 I try and always make it about the business. You know, 320 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:44.399 I don't want to especially trying to expand you don't 321 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:46.320 want everyone to think, oh, wicked Craft is just Steve 322 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:48.360 Steve Steve. I wanted to be able to, you know, 323 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:51.879 survive and last after we move on from there. But 324 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:54.240 I am always there. The thing is, I'm not hanging 325 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.480 around drinking. I'm working. I run it as a general manager, 326 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.120 so I socialize with people, but in between helping people 327 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.840 clear tables and eating people at the door, I hosted 328 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:04.320 for the first year, and I did. I worked security, 329 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:06.879 basically checking IDs on the weekend and stuff, just because 330 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:09.159 we weren't necessarily busy enough to need anybody else. And 331 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:10.960 you know, when you're building it, you want to make 332 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:13.120 sure everything goes perfect. So I was the only one 333 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.679 I trusted to be up there. But as we grew, 334 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.639 I've hired other people, but I still stay very, very involved. 335 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:21.039 Maybe I'll have a drink Sunday Sunday night after brunch, 336 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:21.600 you know, that's it. 337 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.399 But other other than that, you know, opening in the restaurant, 338 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.519 were you drinking and partying and then did you open 339 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:31.039 the restaurant and say I'm not drinking a party. I 340 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:31.840 got a business to run. 341 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:32.039 Well. 342 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.039 I touched not to be drinking and partying when I 343 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:36.240 even when I would go out when I was when 344 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.559 I was getting my mat, I would go out to 345 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.399 check out these clubs and rest get inspired. I'm really 346 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:42.360 you know, I love an atmosphere. You have to have 347 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:44.120 good for drinks, you have to have good service port 348 00:14:44.120 --> 00:14:45.679 and that's what people see, That's what people are going 349 00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:47.759 to see. When so I liked we go to the clubs. 350 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:50.399 I was there kind of just checking out the atmosphere, 351 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:52.320 and of course I'd have a drink, but I wasn't. 352 00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:54.879 It wasn't about partying, you know. I just enjoyed being 353 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:56.919 in the spaces and I got a lot of you know, 354 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:00.240 enjoyment from that. So I never I would never say 355 00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:03.200 I was, you know, partying, But I love the energy 356 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:06.320 and the atmosphere that the clubs and the bars and 357 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:07.240 the restaurants create. 358 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:10.440 So so, what was it like in your own head? 359 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:13.639 Like basically breaking into the North End as like the 360 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:15.320 new guy that is an Italian. 361 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:17.360 Oh, good question, Sammy, I like that one. 362 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:20.240 I came in very respectfully, you know, with my head down. 363 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.480 I tried to meet as many people as I could. 364 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:25.960 We bought the liquor license from Damien, who owns Carmelina's 365 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:29.919 on Hanover Street, and so you know, I just always 366 00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:32.720 was very respectful and came in there to just do 367 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:35.279 something that I thought was needed in the North End, 368 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:39.000 an alternative, something different. Wasn't really trying to compete with anybody, 369 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.960 and met no disrespect. But I've always just been focused 370 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:45.080 on doing a good job. And a lot of people 371 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:46.679 early on might have said, oh, I don't know if 372 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:48.960 they're bringing the right crowd in here. We got the 373 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:51.039 music up and all that, but we don't have any 374 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:53.440 problems over there. I think we've we've shown, you know, 375 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:55.679 over the years that so let. 376 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:58.200 Me ask this question. Sure was the Frankies and all 377 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:00.679 the other guys. Were they welcoming to you guys or 378 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:02.559 they were like, okay, we don't know who this kid is. 379 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:04.960 They came by and said hello before we open. Whether 380 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.240 that was a welcome or a warning. 381 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:11.279 The warning days of going, but so they did come in, 382 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:14.240 they said welcome and what we wish you the best and. 383 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:18.279 They stopped They stopped by outside early on, but yeah, 384 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:21.039 they never saw it finished. So they're welcome in anytime, 385 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:21.720 of course. 386 00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:24.480 But no one's that the competition hasn't com really come in. 387 00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:27.039 Well, I've had a lot of different restaurant owners and 388 00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:30.279 people stop by down from the North End. Yeah yeah, 389 00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:33.879 but you know, you know Christian from I know Christian. Yeah, 390 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:36.759 he's been in a lot. A couple other other people 391 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:37.399 have stopped by. 392 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:40.879 But that's a good thing. Christian comes in, he says, Hi, 393 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.639 frank he's so busy down there. He's got how many 394 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:46.840 restaurants he's dealing. Frankie's a very very good friend of 395 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:49.879 my very close friend. But he's going one hundred miles now. 396 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:52.360 He's that guy is just never going to stop. He's 397 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:56.519 he's got his big culinary school that he has. He's 398 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:01.600 you know, he's just he's he's just unbelievable. Like he said, 399 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.440 he's going to heaven because he's going to be the 400 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:06.680 doormain of heaven and he's going to throw his pockets up. 401 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:08.200