Comments on: The Monarch: stay or go? http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/ Ever wanted to hear about the aches, pains, joys and sorrows of a modern deli-person? Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:57:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Marc http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8807 Marc Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:27:12 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8807 Can you handle the quality control of two locations without losing your mind? Love the Monarch for the funkiness, but it will still be a funky local after you leave. Can you handle the quality control of two locations without losing your mind?

Love the Monarch for the funkiness, but it will still be a funky local after you leave.

]]> By: Grant http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8797 Grant Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:59:58 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8797 Dude. Go. As much as a love your sammich, you're way too popular for the Monarch now, and its killin' me. As much as I'm sure they love the business, I've been there a few times recently for a pint, and I can't get a bloody seat. I liked it better when there was enough room to invite 10 of my closest friends over for sunday dinner there, with a home made pot roast :) Dude. Go.

As much as a love your sammich, you’re way too popular for the Monarch now, and its killin’ me.

As much as I’m sure they love the business, I’ve been there a few times recently for a pint, and I can’t get a bloody seat. I liked it better when there was enough room to invite 10 of my closest friends over for sunday dinner there, with a home made pot roast :)

]]> By: Asia http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8792 Asia Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:13:32 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8792 Seems to me that the College location will be more convenient for you AND your devoted customers, and will likely bring you new customers as well. Do your knees a favour and just stay with the one location. If the Monarch customers miss your food that much it won't be difficult for them to pick it up on College and take it to the bar, like they do with the Italian sandwiches! BTW I heart you for the Owen Meany reference! Seems to me that the College location will be more convenient for you AND your devoted customers, and will likely bring you new customers as well.

Do your knees a favour and just stay with the one location. If the Monarch customers miss your food that much it won’t be difficult for them to pick it up on College and take it to the bar, like they do with the Italian sandwiches!

BTW I heart you for the Owen Meany reference!

]]> By: Aaron2 http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8790 Aaron2 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:57:44 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8790 Just make your new location look like the monarch and everyone is happy! Just make your new location look like the monarch and everyone is happy!

]]> By: OTFOODIE http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8787 OTFOODIE Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:33:16 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8787 First, let me congratulate you on your first year. I'm out of town tomorrow, so I cannot drop by to join the celebration. The biggest issue you face at this juncture is span of control. Can you expand to multiple locations and maintain the quality and customer service you've been able to so far. I doubt it at this point. You've read the stuff on Chowhound: People do complain about the cutting & trimming when you're not there. embee (I think it was) said something to the effect of "Toronto's not exactly overrun with meatcutters." Now I don't want to chain you to either place, you need to have a life. I really believe that running one excellent location that you can monitor is in your best interests. On top of this, there was some stuff on CH about the conversation of the Monarch staff that suggests you're better off not being there. First, let me congratulate you on your first year. I’m out of town tomorrow, so I cannot drop by to join the celebration.

The biggest issue you face at this juncture is span of control. Can you expand to multiple locations and maintain the quality and customer service you’ve been able to so far. I doubt it at this point. You’ve read the stuff on Chowhound: People do complain about the cutting & trimming when you’re not there. embee (I think it was) said something to the effect of “Toronto’s not exactly overrun with meatcutters.” Now I don’t want to chain you to either place, you need to have a life. I really believe that running one excellent location that you can monitor is in your best interests.

On top of this, there was some stuff on CH about the conversation of the Monarch staff that suggests you’re better off not being there.

]]> By: Kate http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8785 Kate Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:05:20 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8785 Don't spread yourself too thin. Focus on one location with the highest possible quality! Please! Don’t spread yourself too thin. Focus on one location with the highest possible quality! Please!

]]> By: carolyn http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8784 carolyn Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:30:04 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8784 I guess I never actually "voted" so to speak. I got too distracted by the fact that people had hated on the Monarch. I agree that you can't spread yourself too thin, and that "franchising" would probably be a mistake. To quote Capt. Hammer, "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." I guess I never actually “voted” so to speak. I got too distracted by the fact that people had hated on the Monarch. I agree that you can’t spread yourself too thin, and that “franchising” would probably be a mistake. To quote Capt. Hammer, “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

]]> By: Manny http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8782 Manny Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:02:12 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8782 I've already said it to you, so why not the world? Deli is a very intensely personal business. I've never known a great deli that chained or franchised without losing its soul. Even the Pickle Barrel was once a decent deli. I shouldn't even mention Shopsowitz. Simply stated, Caplansky's isn't Caplansky's without Caplansky. When you aren't there, it isn't the same. That's why you need to be there 24/7 ;-) Life? What life? Deli men don't have a life - except for making other people happy... (Not that you'd ever listen to me anyway.) I’ve already said it to you, so why not the world?

Deli is a very intensely personal business. I’ve never known a great deli that chained or franchised without losing its soul. Even the Pickle Barrel was once a decent deli. I shouldn’t even mention Shopsowitz.

Simply stated, Caplansky’s isn’t Caplansky’s without Caplansky. When you aren’t there, it isn’t the same. That’s why you need to be there 24/7 ;-)

Life? What life? Deli men don’t have a life – except for making other people happy…

(Not that you’d ever listen to me anyway.)

]]> By: Richard http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8781 Richard Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:14:19 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8781 always put sensibility and lifestyle before sentiment, i say. i am more rational and pragmatic than sentimental. thinking of the expense - emotional, mental, financial - to keep both places open at the same time. the restaurant is called Caplansky's. its your name - you reap the glory when it succeeds, you beat back the flames when things go wrong. most businesses fail because they expand or spread themselves too thinly. and you want to enjoy life. the Monarch was a cute, first step and had its charm. but everyone grows and moves on at some point. just make sure its a clean transition and you hopefully won't have any regret a year form now. always put sensibility and lifestyle before sentiment, i say. i am more rational and pragmatic than sentimental.
thinking of the expense – emotional, mental, financial – to keep both places open at the same time.
the restaurant is called Caplansky’s. its your name – you reap the glory when it succeeds, you beat back the flames when things go wrong.

most businesses fail because they expand or spread themselves too thinly. and you want to enjoy life. the Monarch was a cute, first step and had its charm. but everyone grows and moves on at some point. just make sure its a clean transition and you hopefully won’t have any regret a year form now.

]]> By: Deanna http://blog.caplanskys.com/2009/06/05/the-monarch-stay-or-go/comment-page-1/#comment-8780 Deanna Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:59:29 +0000 http://blog.caplanskys.com/?p=197#comment-8780 I love the Monarch but put me in the the you gotta do what's best for you column. I love the Monarch but put me in the the you gotta do what’s best for you column.

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