EASLEY — According to a frequently cited study by Ohio State University, the restaurant business is tough. In fact, the study on failed restaurants says 60 percent do not make it past the first year — another 80 percent go under in five years.
Enter Capri’s Italian Restaurant: Defying the odds since 1968.
The popular eatery in Easley is celebrating not 10, not 25 — but 50 years in business this week, a milestone anniversary and a testament to a loyal customer base, owners Mike and Pam Brooks and Wayne O’Shields said.
Mike Brooks — who has been around the industry since he was 10-years-old, making pizzas whilst standing atop a milk crate — said there were three main reasons Capri’s has remained successful.
“Well, our staff is amazing. We have employees that have been here over 40 years,” he said. “Johnny Reed, our kitchen manager, has been here 36. Terry Rosemond, a prep chef, has been here 40 or more and, well, everybody in Easley knew Miss. Pat.”
Pat Finley worked at Capri’s for 40 years before retiring in 2012.
“People still ask about her,” said Brooks. “She’s sorely missed.”
Brooks said Bradford Blake, known affectionately as “Pokie” has been a prep chef for 40 years and there were two servers and a cashier that had been with Capri’s for 15 years.
Co-Owner Wayne O’Shields echoed his partner’s statements.
“We could never do what we do without the staff — both front and back of the house,” he said. “They’re the backbone.”
But it’s got to be more than just surrounding yourself with good people, you’ve got to have a loyal customer base too.
“We’ve had people come in and say they used to eat here as kids and now they’re grown and having dinner with their own families,” said Pam Brooks. “It’s almost become a generational thing — it’s amazing.”
But to keep the customers coming back, you need one more ingredient thrown into the mix: Consistency.
“We use the original recipes, we haven’t changed them,” said Mike Brooks. “If you ate our lasagna in here 40 years ago and come in tomorrow, it’s going to taste exactly how you remember it. That consistency is key — people come to expect quality and you can’t cut corners in the name of saving cost.”
With the milestone anniversary, Capri’s remains the second oldest continuously operating restaurant in Easley, second only to Joe’s Ice Cream Parlor.
So, will Capri’s be around for another 50 years? O’Shields says anything is possible.
“We’ve been enjoying the ride,” he said. “Let’s just see how far this road will take us.”
