Business: Angeli’s Restaurant and Catering
Address: 1478 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-420-1370; www.angeliscatering.com
Owners: Tony and Trinette Angeli, of Naperville
Years in business: 30
What do you do here? “Dinner only. No lunch. No Mondays. We cater weddings. A lot of catering over the years. We’ve expanded twice,” Tony, 61, said.
What’s your background? “I was playing hockey for College of DuPage. They had a good hockey team. Division III. … I lived nearby. A little lady from Italy hired me as a busboy in 1985. I was 21, but I had immense restaurant experience by then. It was in my blood. … I took the job, became a waiter in two months. It was called Lanonna’s then. She hired me. Changed my life.”
How did you meet your future partner? “All these older ladies, bouffant hairdos, working here told me, ‘Wait till you meet this girl we hired.’ .. One night, I came in with a date and I met the girl. … I took one look and I knew she was the one. … We hit it off. Today (June 4) is the 40th anniversary of our first date. A year later, I asked her to marry me.”
Trinette Angeli visits with patrons at Angeli’s, the Italian restaurant she and husband Tony own in Naperville. Chris Hall, from left, Eddie Murphy, Bill Windisch, John Zubak and Randy Laible are frequent visitors. (Steve Metsch/Naperville Sun)
Why did you start this business? “We started a concession company, did all the fairs and festivals. (Naperville) Rib Fest. Taste of Chicago. We grew it. Ten years later, the opportunity came up to buy this place,” Tony said.
Any family members work here? “My two boys. Vinny and Angelo,” Tony said.
What’s the secret to success? “He just knows. He knows the ins. He knows the outs,” Trinette said. “He’s got it down pat. We’ve all learned from him over the years. … Somehow, we managed to hang in there. But it took time to build. Back in the day, people would say, ‘Where’s Angeli’s?’ Nobody knew. Now if you say Angeli’s, they know.”
“You love a job, you’re not even working. It’s beautiful,” Tony said. “… I’ve been working in restaurants since I was a kid in Boston, then in California. … Our kitchen staff, we’ve had three guys there for 30 years. I have a hostess who is 77 years old. She can run circles around anybody. Nancy Newell. Still going strong.”
What do you suggest people order? “Dishes with our vodka cream sauce. It’s excellent,” Vinny, 26, said. “We have an awesome New England-style clam chowder.”
“People say they’d like to bathe in the vodka cream sauce,” Tony said.
What about competition? “I’ll tell you what my mother told me: ‘The only true competition is yourself in this life.’ It’s so profound. You can’t control the actions of others. You can control the actions of yourself,” Tony said.
“It’s all customer service,” Vinny said. “We’re willing to do things other corporate places may say ‘no’ to. If someone has a big job and they call us two days before the event, we’ll bend over backwards.”
What’s your business philosophy? “Never bash anything or anybody. I never say, ‘Our food is way better.’ … What goes around comes around. Just worry about yourself,” Tony said.
Where do you get your supplies? “We use some of the big boys and we use some of the little guys as well. We try to stay loyal,” Tony said.
Patrons have the option of enjoying a libation or dining at the bar in Angeli’s Restaurant in Naperville. (Steve Metsch/Naperville Sun)
What’s new? “We’re taking the (space where) 7-Eleven was on the corner (of the strip mall). A hot dog/(Italian) beef place. It’s going to be good. This area needs it. Trust me. People are champing at the bit for it. … Fat Tony’s, that’s going to be the name,” Tony said.
Is catering most of your business? “About 30 percent. We have it down after 30 years. … When it gets dicey is when dad takes on too many events (the same day),” Tony said.
What’s it like working with your spouse? “Even though we work together, we’re doing different roles. I’m a waitress. He’s in the office,” Trinette said.
What makes a good waitress? “Caring,” she said.
What do you like about working here? “The customers. They always have a good time. I’ve never had a bad experience,” said Angelo, 21, who is a server.
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “Put it in God’s hands and let Him guide you through it,” Vinny said. “A lot of trial and error. The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.”
“There’s a lot of moving parts in a restaurant,” Tony said. “A lot has to go right for a restaurant to succeed, let alone last 30 years. … Start small like we did. If you bite off more than you can chew, you’ll be out of the game as fast as you blink an eye.”
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. If you know of a business you’d like to see profiled in Down to Business, contact him at metschmsfl@yahoo.com.