Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

To celebrate Mom And Pop Business Owners Day on March 29^th, Parts Town sat down with two Chicago restaurateurs to chat about their experiences in the foodservice industry, specifically as small business owners.

First, we’d like to introduce Kurt Schweig of Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp. His grandfather, Lawrence Schweig started the business in 1950, opening up a fish store at the bridge on Canal Street. As the business took off, Lawrence partnered with local fishermen and invested in boats to harvest the very best Lake Michigan had to offer. Soon, the highest-caliber shrimp and seafood – fried, boiled or smoked – was distributed to restaurants and hotels throughout the city. Lawrence’s Fisheries and Schweig Smoked Fish quickly earned a reputation for having the highest quality product for the best value. Open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year, the restaurant hooks customers in whenever hunger strikes.

Next, meet Jeremy Kiens of Frasca Pizzeria + Wine Bar. This friendly, neighborhood restaurant prides itself on serving authentic Italian fare, featuring an 800° wood-burning oven for pizzas, along with hearty pastas and an extensive collection of wine. The dining area is open and inviting, allowing guests to enjoy the rustic look of the wood tables and large retractable windows. A perfect spot in any season! Frasca means branch in Italian. In the Friuli region of Italy, a frasca was identified by a wreath of branches hanging over a door, signaling the sale of food and wine within. Taking its cue from this culture, frasca offers an informal gathering place for friends and family alike.

Okay, let’s get right into it. First, how did you get started in the food service industry?

Kurt: This is actually a family business that was started in 1950 by my grandfather.  We have the 4^th generation here right now. We started kind of by accident. We began as a commercial finding on Lake Michigan, and morphed into a small retail store to sell what was caught. It was a huge smoked fish operation, and supplied a lot of restaurants in the area. A lot of hotels. Gradually, the business grew into what you see today and that has been the mainstay. Commercial fishing and smoked fish all went out in the late 60s, but our restaurant grew due to the notoriety of our product and being open 24 hours a day.

Jeremy: For me, it started at birth. My family cooks for a living. My grandmother used to make fresh pasta when I was a kid. Apple pies from her own garden. My mom worked in hotels. So when I was 6 or 7 years old, I was going to hotels with my mom and staying overnight when she was the manager on duty. The coolest people to talk to were the chefs. I eventually wanted to help out and do stuff, and I’ve been passionate ever since. I fell right into it and I love food. Period.

What sets you apart from other restaurants?

Kurt: We are, in Chicago, I believe, the shrimp king because we’ve been here 68 years. People compare themselves to us. Our product is second to none with regards to our quality and our standards…what we try to accomplish and achieve. We only use products, specifically with our shrimp, which come from domestic fisherman. We’re very keen on that. Other restaurants use product that are foreign or farm raised, and we don’t do that at all.

Jeremy: Our integrity. We take pride in what we do. We want to do it right, we want to keep a clean restaurant. We want to keep everything working correctly. Part of our philosophy includes standardized recipes, making sure everything is correct every time. Having that sense of consistency creates that integrity within our staff.

What do you like most about what you do?

Kurt: The interaction with my employees, and knowing that we serve the greatest seafood in Chicago.

Jeremy: I don’t know if there is one thing I love more than another, but obviously being creative and exploring new ingredients and finding out new stuff…continually learning. I think this job is so fascinating because food never stops. For example, there are seed catalogs, you learn different varietals, getting to work with them is something most people don’t get to experience and try. With all the cheeses and meats I get to try on a weekly basis, I get to develop my palate. I love it.

What are some of the challenges you face on a day to day basis?

Kurt: Making sure that our employees are trained and that they come to work each day.

Jeremy: The unexpected. You never know what’s going to happen. Always having plans and people in place to get what you need done. For example, I had a slicer that broke on a Saturday, of all days. Because of the relationships I have with people, I was able to get another slicer that day from a company that is typically closed on Saturdays. The same thing can happen with food. When I get shorted on something because of the quality or integrity, I talk to my reps and they know who I am, so they’re going to help me out. It’s very important, the people are the most important resource that we have.

When a piece of equipment is down in your kitchen, how does that effect your day to day operations?

Kurt: It impacts things dramatically. We keep a fair inventory of spare parts on hand for those occasions, for our refrigeration equipment, as well as for our frying equipment.

Jeremy: We reevaluate. We move things around. Is it something that I can fix? Is it something I can problem solve on the spot? You’ve got to look at everything and go through it and then you’ve got to sit down and make a smart decision.

When you need a part for your equipment, how do you know what to choose?

Kurt: Typically, familiarity. So, I keep all the parts and service manuals for every piece of equipment in our restaurant. So if I need something, I can go to the parts and service manual or go online. Parts Town is great with that because almost all the equipment we have, and their manuals, are available online and I can look stuff up.

Jeremy: It starts with knowing makes and models of equipment. And then being able to look at an equipment manual, like on partstown.com, and being able to sit there and know that’s the exact part. Because it says the spec for the number, and it correlates to a part number. Sometimes you even see the pictures of them online and you match it up and know exactly what it is. It makes it easy.

So, what is your most popular menu item?

Kurt: That would have to be the jumbo shrimp.

Jeremy: It’s definitely pizza, without a shadow of a doubt. It’s handmade pizza dough and fresh ingredients. Where can you go wrong?

To wrap up our conversation, we’d like to know the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given in the foodservice industry?

Kurt: Customer service and product quality are number one.

Jeremy: The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given about this industry is to treat people with the respect you want to be treated with. It’s about the people. I can’t do my job without the people next to me, and the people beside me wanting it as much as I want it.

We had a fantastic time catching up with Kurt and Jeremy. Parts Town is so proud to partner with independent restaurant owners to ensure every establishment, big or small, thrives in our community. Make sure to sample the finest seafood Chicago has to offer at Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp (don’t forget they’re open 24 hours!) and swing by Frasca Pizzeria + Wine Bar for some delicious, old-world Italian specialties. We’ll see you there! Happy #MomAndPopBusinessOwnersDay!

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