A Legacy of Pizza and Community | Chris Swanson & Shari Buccilli

In this episode, Chris sits down with Shari Buccilli, owner of Buccilli's Pizza and president of the Clare Area Chamber of Commerce. Shari shares her lifelong connection to the food and hospitality industry, the legacy behind her family’s pizzeria—celebrated for over 50 years—and her deep commitment to the Clare community. From small-business leadership to local festivals and civic pride, the conversation highlights how strong local roots, entrepreneurship, and community spirit continue to shape the heart of Clare, Michigan.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Imagine selling over a half of a million pizzas in Clare County for 53 years. That is what makes this story so amazing. Welcome to the Working Class Podcast. My name is Chris Swanson, the sheriff. I have probably at least the second, maybe the third generation pizza professional before me. Yes. Sherry Buselli?

SPEAKER_02 0:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 0:22

What's the proper way to say the name? Because it gets just butchered, I'm sure. It's Busilli. Busilli. I even said it wrong. You did. See, but you didn't correct it. That's so kind. Busilli. Busilli. What are these different versions that you heard of your pizza restaurant in Clare County, Michigan?

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Oh gosh. There's so many different ones. So there's Bacilli. I mean, even our Garmin will get it wrong. You know, it's like, oh, Mark Buccelli's coming in because of them when he calls me my husband. So yeah, so lots of different ways, you know, but that's okay. I'll answer to most of them.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

Listen, if you are in Clare County, Michigan, which is at central Michigan, you know, you got Harrison, you got Midland around that area, you gotta go to this pizza restaurant. It's kind of like a rite of passage going up north. Would you agree? That's right. It is. So tell the history of how you got to where you are in your family.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

Okay, so our history actually starts in Detroit. So Grandpa, who his name is Pasquale, but people called him Butzy. Okay, so he and his two brothers, Melio and Angelo, they each had a restaurant. So Sterling Heights, Clausen, and I'm Madison Heights. So they each had their own restaurant. Grandpa had El Vedo's. So my husband's dad, Pat, um actually worked at those. So he had some of that in his background. And in 73, mom and dad, they moved, they sold their house down in um Roseville, moved up to Clare with$1,500 for kids, and started the restaurant.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Oh my gosh. Why did they go from Detroit to Clare?

SPEAKER_00 2:00

Uh grandma and grandpa had moved up to Harrison. They had a little uh byway party store up there. They were selling a couple pizzas out of the back, a couple subs, and grandma Busily actually found the place in Clare for them. And A.J. Doherty owned it. And so they rented from A.J. Doherty.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Now, this is like a real pure Michigan episode here because the Doherty name she just talked about owned the Doherty Hotel, which is still there today. It's historic, and I guarantee it's probably haunted.

SPEAKER_00 2:31

Uh there's stories. See, I knew it.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

I knew it, the Doherty Hotel. My father-in-law went for over a quarter century uh on a golf outing to Claire. They would all stay at the Doherty Hotel. I took my first basic narcotics school at the Doherty Hotel. Okay. Yes. And so there's a lot about Claire that I'm going to share with you that's even going to probably impress you. Yes. One fun fact that I guarantee is going to be like, no way, you know that Swanson's true. But we're going to go back to you. Uh, did they come from Italy or Sicily?

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Um, Grandpa's parents didn't. So did Grandma Busilli's parents. So and it's from Al Vito, and that was Grandpa's restaurant down in Clausen, was El Vito's. So they had come over. I think two of the boys had been born over there. Grandpa wasn't. Grandpa was born in Detroit.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Got it.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

So, yes, but yeah, so they have that heritage of that, you know, being from Italy, um, being from an Italian family, and everybody talks with their hands and great loud.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

I know nothing about that.

SPEAKER_00 3:34

Yeah. Oh no. It still happens nowadays.

SPEAKER_01 3:37

So well, okay. So the fact that you grew up in uh this industry, right? Uh you have siblings?

SPEAKER_00 3:44

I have four siblings, or three siblings. I'm sorry. There's four of us. Um, I did not grow up in the pizza industry. Okay. So I did work at the House of Flavors, which was at in Clare. Okay. I worked there for seven years during high school and college, and then my husband and I got married. We um he had been in the Air Force. Um, he got out of the Air Force, we came back to Clare, he was working for his mom. I had been asked to come. I said, no, I didn't have any interest at all, none whatsoever. And then they asked me again, and I sat there, okay. I wasn't happy at the job I was at.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

And I said, okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

And your husband has already been working there, right? Yes, he had been working there.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

So so over 30 years later, here we are.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Wow. And did your husband grow up in the business? Yes. All right. So that is kind of like this is what you're going to do, he knew no different.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Yeah. Um, yeah, he he actually is not in the pizza business anymore.

SPEAKER_01 4:41

He's an I got you in the business and then bounce.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

No, that's fine. He, you know, when the opportunity came up to buy the restaurant from Mark's mom, um, we were sort of like, yeah, I wanted it. And then he's like, Can you do it on your own? And I was like, Yep, I can. It's for you.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

What year was that?

SPEAKER_00 5:01

Uh 2008. We bought it from her. Um, but I'd been working there since you know the the 90s.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

So now, what people cannot, and I feel bad, they cannot experience right now, is in this very studio is the smell and the aroma of Italian pizza. And I know that there's something right there in front of me, and it's got a pizza carrying package on it. Is there something that by the end of this show I could actually eat? Yes. Oh, so good. That's why I love this job. All right, so you're actually gonna see me sample and probably mouth something from your restaurant.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

I can't wait. I can't wait. On top of it, I think it's a tumbler. We're gonna go right past that into like the main uh dish. When you're talking about a small business, especially like Claire County, because Claire is like it's a historic downtown, there's a lot of cool things on top of having the most popular Italian pizza parlor in history. But there's other businesses we talk about, the Doherty Hotel, then of course the one that everybody knows outside in my world is Cops and Donuts. Cops and Donuts. And do you all work together and try to help each other's business in the chamber?

SPEAKER_00 6:12

We do. So, you know, we promote, if the chamber promotes, you know, our local businesses, we want people to realize how great Claire is. But not only Claire, but Clare County because there's other cities and villages that people need to visit. So, yeah, so um cops and donuts might be posting about their punch keys. And it's like, okay, let's go ahead and like it. Maybe we'll share it. Nice. Um, you know, we help each other out, we shop at each other's businesses. So yeah, it's it's helping each other, it's you know, promoting our local brewery that we have. Uh we have Jay's sporting. Is that Four League Brewery? It is Four League Brewing. Right. I love that place. Yeah, so it's great. It's you know, homemade craft beer, and it's a fabulous place to go. So yeah, there's the the Weber Center now is out there and just lots of little businesses. Woods, I think Woods household is celebrating 80 years, if I have that right. So yeah, a lot of historic the Doherty last year celebrated their hundredth. Yeah. So we're on our way to, yeah, we have great businesses in Claret.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

So as a small business owner, because there's 900,000 of them in the state of Michigan, uh, this is an everyday you start at zero business. I mean, even like, you know, when you start the first of the year, I always try to, you know, try to figure out when you start making net profit after you pay all your taxes and all your utilities for the year, and then of course, food costs in your case, and then staffing, and then insurance and all the things, the things that break that you didn't think would break, all of that. How difficult is it to make it in small business, specifically the food industry?

SPEAKER_00 7:48

It is difficult and it's getting more difficult, but you really have to plan, you have to focus, you have to have a budget. Um, you you know, people want advertising, and it's like I can't blow my advertising all in the first two months. So you have to spread it out throughout the year. Um, you know, the highest point is, you know, for any business is going to be payroll. Yeah. And then it's food cost, and then it is swipe fees for your credit card. So there you have to break it all down for that. So um you you just have to really watch. Um, I am a hands-on boss. I'm there, you know, maybe four or five days a week. Um I'm lucky. I have great managers, so I don't have to be there as often as what I used to. Um, but I'm still, you know, hands-on. I just had one of my employees say they've never been at a business um where the boss has been really paying attention to things. So that that was sort of nice to hear.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Yeah, because they respect that.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:48

And I also think it keeps employees on their toes that, hey, the owner-boss is here and they are chipping in and they're getting into the mix and they want to be a part of the business, and it holds people accountable.

SPEAKER_00 9:00

Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Um, how many employees do you have?

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Um, I think I believe 33.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

33. What's the longest serving tenure you have?

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Uh right now, 21.

SPEAKER_01 9:11

21 years.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:13

They've been there doing what?

SPEAKER_00 9:15

Um, she's my manager now. Wow. But she's started off, I believe, uh in the kitchen and the waitressing. And yes, so she's really um done wonderful for me for 21 years. And then I've I think my um general manager's been there. Gosh, how old is he now? He's probably been there 10 years at least. If not, no, he's been over that because he started in high school. Good for you.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

You know, in our business, let me ask if this relates to you in your industry. Uh, we budget about 30 to 35 percent in payroll. Is that about like of your whole budget? What it goes to payroll versus what goes to food costs?

SPEAKER_00 9:53

I'm gonna say probably 42 to 48 percent is payroll.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Got it. Well, you're you're also more of a service, you need human beings to make the food, to answer the phones, to cash out. Okay, it makes sense. What about food costs?

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Food cost is my next second. So, I mean, I can tell you like last year I spent$350,000 on food cost. So that's that's a lot of pizzas. It is.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

So here's an example I want people to think about. On January 1st at$1201, the first$350,000 that you make, whenever that makes, has to pay just your food. And that's your second highest cost. And then you have to pay for your payroll.

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Um when you're talking about your business, your industry, that food cost, does it fluctuate highs and lows by the day, the week, the month?

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Uh daily. Daily. It can be daily. Um, and it will depend. So produce, um an example, lettuce. So it has different regions. It goes from uh California to New Mexico to Arizona. And if California is getting too much rain, it can hurt the product. So instead of paying$23 a case, you might be paying$48 a case. Wow. So the jump is big, you have to eat the cost because it's there's nothing you can do about it.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

It's almost a hundred percent increase from twenty-three to yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

So when uh COVID hit, chicken jump from$47 a case to$107 a case. What?

unknown 11:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

So it's come down, oh, which I'm great. And then down down to$43 or$47 again.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

So go back to these uh, you know, you look at a menu on a pizza and you're buying a large pizza and you have your you know your items section, and it's usually how much is it per item?

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Oh gosh, two on a large, I think it's like$225,$250.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Okay, so let's just go it's two, say it's$250. If your lettuce cost or your tomato cost or your pepperoni cost go up exponentially just because something's happened, another, you can't just go to your menu and say, hey, we're gonna be$4 an item now. You're paying the extra cost, it's coming out of your net, but the customer is getting the same product, so ultimately you're taking even yet another sacrifice.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

Yes, yes, and it happens a lot. I mean, cheese cost is part of it too. So right now, February, um, they start making ice cream, so that affects the cost of the cheese, also.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

The industry starts making ice cream. Yes, so there's more demand than there is supply, so they raise all the prices. Correct. But you don't sell ice cream, no, no, so but I want people to start connecting the dots of what small industry deals with every single day. You know, it's almost like you know this is coming and you're just trying to get over the edge, and next thing you know, your cheese costs go up because of ice cream, which we're not arguing. There's small businesses that want to make ice cream, but it's it's it's an ecosystem, and that's what has to, it's everything just kind of like checks and balances each other.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

It does. It does. So, you know, we buy our cheese from Grande, which is a Wisconsin, so it's Midwest. So I really am happy about that. But uh Grande cheese is probably the best in the industry. Um, at our restaurant, um, I'm looking for our great products. I'm not looking to buy low end, I'm looking for the high end when we serve it on pieces.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

So you could go cheaper.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

I could, but I don't want to.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

That's just your style.

SPEAKER_00 13:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

That's why everybody goes there when they're passing through Claire to go up north.

SPEAKER_00 13:24

I hope so.

SPEAKER_01 13:24

It's true. You know what's crazy too. I just said something. I only in Michigan do we say we're going up north. You know, I mean, usually people just say, I we're going north or we're going upstate or something. But in Michigan, it's like you don't even know what we're talking about when unless you say you're going up north. You say up north, everybody knows what you're doing. You're going north of basically. That's correct. That's correct. That's crazy. Yeah. All right. Uh, give me an example of an ingredient that you have that is like proprietary to you. What makes your restaurant so unique?

SPEAKER_00 13:52

Our dough and our sauce. So our sauce is a Busili sauce. Um, we have our own um ingredients that go into it. We mix it, we make it. Um, nobody but the family knows the ingredients. So if I had to tell you, I'd have to take you all back and you would disappear.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

So that's the Italian way.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

I've seen the Godfather. So have I. Yeah, that's right. Hey, easy. All right, I come in peace. All right to come in peace. It's a friendly show. Might have to call the sheriff on this one. That is true. Um, then uh the dough, it's really a simple ingredient, isn't it? Just three.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

Um no.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

All right. Would I be killed again if you told me? All right.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

So you have your flour, you have your sugar, your salt, okay, your powdered milk, and then you have your yeast. Got it. And then the water.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Okay. Interesting. The industry itself, small businesses, uh, the chamber. Why are chambers so important in uh communities like Clare County?

SPEAKER_00 14:57

Chambers are wonderful because we are there to help um the businesses, and we're there to promote the town. So we have the Irish Festival coming up in two, three weeks, and it's our biggest festival that Clare holds. And we'll probably get an influx of 15,000 to 20,000 people that weekend into the town. Um it's a great boost after January and February because those are our slow months. Um, so it's a great uptick. Um, it's a great time for people to come and see what Claire has.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

Yeah. And it just goes to show that everything's connected. Do you work much with the school system?

SPEAKER_00 15:40

I used to. I used to be on the board in Farwell and I was on it for 14 years.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

That's a tough job.

SPEAKER_00 15:47

It is. It is. And I don't think people realize um really what a board member does. Um, we get a lot of criticism um because you know, we don't say things at board meetings. We listen to people when they come and talk. Um, we're not there to take abuse from people. What we want is to listen and how can we make things better for the kids? Because that's the main goal. Give them a great education, give them a safe environment, but there's a lot that went into it, and a lot of people do not see that.

SPEAKER_01 16:21

Do you think there's enough emphasis, especially in like uh the high school uh years, that students that uh have a built-in entrepreneur gear that schools are trying to give them a pathway to do kind of what you're doing? Do you think there's enough?

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Yeah, so um actually Clare County, Gladwin County, we have a CTE. Nice, yes, and it's great. And if you've never been there, people need to go because it's a brand new building, it's at the Magnus Center. Yeah. Um, beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

And they have a business development pipeline in their curriculum there.

SPEAKER_00 16:52

They have, I believe, automotive, they have um, I think nursing, they have um as if you want to be in the chef, yeah. They've got all that.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

And there's a lot of those ISDs that are out there and those trainings. I like to move that into even like the middle school year, sixth, seventh, and eighth, where they're feeling with their hands and they're learning where they want to go and then a pathway through high school. Do you hire kids right out of high school? Do you do summer help into the restaurant?

SPEAKER_00 17:18

I like to hire high schoolers because they're trainable. Yeah. So um, you know, they're great. Um, we we have some that if I can get them when they're a freshman, yeah, they're a little squirrely at that time, that's fine, you know, but they're learning and um it's a great teaching tool, I think, for some of these kids. Some of them work, some of them don't. You know, it's just sort of like uh, yeah, they're doing a great job. Other ones, they're if they're involved in sports, it might not be a good fit for them, but I don't want them to give up sports to work. I want them to have a childhood, I want them to have, you know, that experience in high school. Um, but I love hiring high schoolers because yeah, you know, usually I can get them to last the four years they might work through college.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

How many uh former employees still call you their work mom?

SPEAKER_00 18:09

It depends. It depends. So, you know, I have some employees say they stay because I'm there, so which is nice.

SPEAKER_01 18:16

That is cool. Um, do you uh did you say you're born and raised in Clare? I was so uh do you know many people in Harrison?

SPEAKER_00 18:25

Uh not as many as Clare.

SPEAKER_01 18:27

So do you ever remember the hotel motel called the Deer Trail Inn? I've heard of it. Okay, well I'm owned that.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

And a true test of a Clare native would know the name Spike Horn.

SPEAKER_00 18:41

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 18:42

You got some crowd play on that one. This is crazy. My dad met Spike Horn because my whole family was uh from the Reed City area. Okay, and so my dad, when he was a kid, his dad would take him, my grandfather, who was from Detroit, and they would go to Spike Horn.

SPEAKER_02 19:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

So for those that don't have a clue, because he died in 1959, if you're from Clare, you know Spike Horn. This would never ever fly in today's world.

SPEAKER_00 19:10

No, listen to what he did. He petted a deer, or I mean at a deer, a bear, didn't he? Bear, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

He was a roadside, non-licensed zoo that he had deer and bear cubs that he raised to adults, and you could literally pull over and just pet bear. You could. That would not work in today's world.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

No, it would not.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

But he was wearing like this butts buckskin. My dad has pictures of spike horn in like in like the 1940s and 50s. Yeah, he had the white beard. Yes, he did. Yeah, all right, you're legit. You are from Claire. All right, you passed the test. That's it. You know, um, we uh we love talking to small businesses because I think people need to understand that as customers, supporting them locally, even though you can do a lot of things, you know, nationwide, even globally, but it's these small businesses that keep the economy going. And it's frustrating. But what keeps you going and what do you think other small business owners do to keep them going? Because it's not easy.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

It's not um to keep me going. I guess uh I have a really good outlook on our community. So it's very community-oriented. Um, we are as a business, you know, we help support Little League, we help support sports boosters, band boosters, um, we there's a lot of different things, big brothers, big sisters. I'm involved with. Um, I'm involved with the DDA, so we're continually promoting Claire. But our customers are the thing that keep me going. You know, they're not just um somebody across the counter. They're my friends, they're my neighbors, they're, you know, people I want to know and people who I hope want to know me as well.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

You know how to think about a restaurant like yourself. How many first dates were there? How many funeral celebrations were there? How many, I bet people got engaged there.

SPEAKER_00 21:06

Uh actually, my nephew. Right, see? Well, I can't say he got engaged there, but he brought her there. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

That's part of the whole experience.

SPEAKER_00 21:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 21:14

There's something about food and bringing people together that is just a special moment. So I, yes, small businesses are important, but I think those in the food industry or in the hospitality industry, there's another gear that goes with that. You know, if you sell a product, you don't have that customer relationship. But when you're feeding somebody or you know, you own a brewery or you own some kind of like like true people business, it just makes it that much more special.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

It does.

SPEAKER_01 21:41

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 21:41

That's and I I to this day I love making pizza. Yeah. I if if that's all I had to do, I would be golden. Because it's just to me, is the pizza is, you know, as I'm forming it, as I'm making it, putting the product on it. Um, and I've said this before, it's like a piece of art for me. It's not just throwing. The item on there, it's making the pizza look good for the customer. So when they come out and then they get it and they look at it, take that first bite, it's like mouthwater.

SPEAKER_01 22:10

Yeah, that's about to go down here in a minute. That's about to go down. I actually read reviews in prep for this show, and that's how people describe your product. It is a piece of art. You don't see that much. And I know you make fun of me because of jets, all right? So I think you're judging. But uh I am judging. Yes, you are. Because I said on a previous show that on my death row, I want Jets pizza, Fritos scoops, 2% milk, and uh chocolate chip cookies.

SPEAKER_02 22:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:36

Uh but I may change the jets, all right? I may not just want franchise pizza anymore. I'll have to see. I'll be the judge of that. But you brought something to compare. Like we're taste testing, we're going like we're going like Coke Pepsi challenge here.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

We are.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

All right. I don't have anything to compare with Jets, but tell me what you brought. I gotta see this.

SPEAKER_00 22:53

Pepperoni pizza. Come on, let's go. Let's regulate here. All right, here we go. All right, so um one thing, like you said, you know, like our pizza has spoiled people. So my son lives out in Utah now, and it's been hard for him to find a pizza.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

She literally brought pizza. There you go. Oh my gosh. I can already feel quality because it's heavy.

SPEAKER_00 23:17

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Yes, I could feel. So here we go. Look at that.

SPEAKER_00 23:20

And that was made this morning. So it's been in the box a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

It does listen, you know what? I wonder, people should comment. Isn't reheated pizza sometimes better than original? Like two days later. What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 23:34

I well, it's been a long time since I've had to reheat pizza. But yeah, it is. You know, that next morning eating it.

SPEAKER_01 23:42

Thank you, Wisconsin.

SPEAKER_00 23:44

Yeah. But yeah, so my, you know, my nephew says the same thing. You know, we've we've spoiled our kids on good pizza for them to find it. It's it's it's sort of nice to hear that. It's, you know, it's it's really touching.

SPEAKER_01 23:59

Now, people make fun of me as to why people have this in their pizza. I have my own theory. Okay, what's yours? Well, because usually when you're pizza, and I'm like, hey, give me some peach, and you're like handing it, I think it's like this. You put it right here and you pull it off.

SPEAKER_00 24:16

No.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

That's not it? No. Isn't that a legit reason though? Hey, can I have a piece of peach and you're like, oh, put your paws all over it? No. You take out the little plastic piece, you put it here, and you can pull it out. I think that's a genius idea. That's why they need the government.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

But if you've got five pizzas on top of each other, the boxes start to go down. So those are called um pizza savers. And they save the box from going down and hitting the pizza.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

My idea is pretty slick. All right. But that's wondering what those things are, the pizza, little little plastic tables for like dollhouses. They are. They are Barbies. There you go. Yep. Is that a pepperoni pizza too? It is. I gotta bring this home to Jamie Girl. That is her favorite pizza. Doesn't matter what, she has the most boring pizza palette ever. I like Hawaiian pizza, I like veggie pizza. Jamie's just like pepperoni than anything else.

SPEAKER_00 25:04

Pepperoni is a pizza.

SPEAKER_01 25:05

Is that the number one seller?

SPEAKER_00 25:06

Uh it is. Pepperoni is one of our best. So um, to me, there's nothing better than first thing in the morning making a pepperoni pizza and it's coming out of the oven and you go to cut it. That aroma is just, and it's for a customer. And I'm thinking, oh, if I could only have one slice, I would be great.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

And you don't?

SPEAKER_00 25:25

And I don't.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Who's getting pepperoni pizza in the morning?

SPEAKER_00 25:28

Oh, lots of people. Lots of people.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

I guess maybe clear. I guess that's what the breakfast is. I also notice I love crusty. That's why I like jets, because this is a this rivals. I'm telling you, I think you beat Jets right now.

SPEAKER_00 25:40

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 25:41

All day long. No offense, Jets, but you didn't come on the show either. Um, I love the crusty crust. Yes. Like a buttery crust.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

It is. It's a good, yeah, good flavor. It's homemade. It's it's our recipe. You can't beat it. So so I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I'm glad, you know, you you got to do it. I'm gonna have more.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

Nobody's touching this one exactly. I'll put it right here. All right. Everybody has their own pizza story. Sorry about this. This is rude. But you don't want it to go to waste. You may have to add it out to chewing. If there's one thing the state of Michigan can do to help you become more successful in your business, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 26:31

Um Well, I have a lot of the theories, but um, you know the swipe fees are a big big thing. So there's two, from my understanding, there's two entities that really dictate the cost of swipe fees for credit cards. Um, I'd probably pay close to 40,000 a year in swipe fees. Um so if that could get regulated a little bit, I think that would help a lot of businesses. Um I know we have a you know uh new policies in play where we can help people when our c are employees when they're sick. Um but that's the time that is uh hurts businesses. It is, you know, last year I think I played paid close to$9,000 out on that. So, you know, that was something new last year. So that was something else I had to take into account um as the year went on. Didn't know how it was gonna play out. I still don't know how it's gonna play out this year. Um, so that will eventually affect the cost of pizza too. Yep. So, you know, there's lots of things I think, you know. Um, you know, they they don't consider me a small business anymore. Um yes. So anyway.

SPEAKER_01 27:51

What would you be considered?

SPEAKER_00 27:53

I'm a I'm a large business just because you know, I don't have two people or under 10 people. Um I'm still a small mom and pop shop, you know. Right. We've been in business 53 years, and I'd like to be in business another 53 years. Um, but the industry changes. Um, and it can happen overnight, it can happen in a year, two years. Um, you can plan for a lot of things, but you don't know what's gonna happen. And so you really have to stay on top of your own business and pay attention to your business and don't just think it's gonna survive because it might not, you know, we had to we put in a new point of sales and we have web order right now. You know, for years we didn't. I babied my old system. I was like, didn't want to buy a new one, didn't want to buy a new one. Yeah, had to. So you have to change.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

Yeah, and I I'm gonna tell you, uh should things work out the way I'm working hard to do this, I'm coming to rescue for small businesses because that is the backbone of the economy. You can't raise taxes to try to pay for the things that need to be paid for. You do it by building the economy, increasing goods and services. Create a system where people buy more, they spend more, they raise the economy. And when that happens, more sales tax, more discretionary spending, you make more money for your people, your employees, they're gonna spend it within Claire. They're gonna go to other stores, they're gonna go to other places. And uh having a business-friendly administration can only help. And uh, so that's my commitment to you.

SPEAKER_00 29:24

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 29:25

And uh I uh I gotta everybody's gotta go to Clare to go have some of this pizza. Do you have pineapple pizza there?

SPEAKER_00 29:30

Oh, yeah. It's the best. You have to have pineapple. There's a lot of debate on it, but yeah, you do have to.

SPEAKER_01 29:35

There's no debate in my house except for we are divided.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 29:38

Um, we asked these questions with all of our guests at the end. So I just want to say thanks for taking the time to drive all the way down here. These are the kind of conversations and the sound bites that just keep people going. So, mad respect for small businesses. Keep doing what you're doing. Uh, what's your favorite non-pizza food in place to go?

SPEAKER_00 29:56

And place to go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:57

Where do you like to eat?

SPEAKER_00 29:59

Um, well, I like it when our family makes homemade raffiolis. Whoa. And our meatballs and our spaghetti. We do that for Christmas, and that's got to be my favorite. So going out to eat, I like I like all different kinds of food. I'm not, you know, I'll try something once, and if I don't like it, I'll never have it again. But I'll give it a shot. So I can't just say I have one favorite restaurant. I have many favorite restaurants.

SPEAKER_01 30:25

So, what's your favorite pizza outside of yours?

SPEAKER_00 30:30

Outside of mine? Yeah. I there isn't one. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 30:33

What's the second tier pizza? We call it the uh I have to have it pizza.

SPEAKER_00 30:39

Um I can't. I like it.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Would you eat a Jets pizza?

SPEAKER_00 30:44

Yes. Maybe you go. See, I'm not all right.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

I'm not canceled.

SPEAKER_00 30:48

No, you're not. You're not. You know, there's there's yeah, I am a snob. I'm a pizza snob. I'm told it runs in the family. It is and um I well just, you know, I yeah, when we go out to eat, we will have pizza, or if we've gone on vacation, um, it's the cheapest thing to buy. Yeah. And for a family of six, it was like, okay, we're getting pizza. Um, the worst pizza I've ever had was over in Ireland.

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 31:13

Um, it was absolutely horrible. I choked down one slice and I was like, you can't do anymore.

SPEAKER_01 31:18

And yet your biggest festival in Clare at your restaurant is the Irish festival. Go figure. It is. If you're showing them how to do it, Ireland.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

Yep, and we'll see green dough. So it on.

SPEAKER_01 31:28

You keep making this the shepherd's pie, we'll keep making uh the pizza.

SPEAKER_00 31:31

That's correct.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

What is uh your favorite band? If you can go see a group in uh Live or Dead, who would it be?

unknown 31:38

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_00 31:41

Um probably oh, you put me on the spot.

SPEAKER_01 31:45

This is easy stuff. This is easy stuff.

SPEAKER_00 31:48

Um Def Leopard.

SPEAKER_01 31:49

Yes! You're an 80s hair band girl. I love it. I love it. I actually saw Def Leopard three years ago. They played with Motley Crue. Okay, it was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_00 31:59

Yes, yes. So I there's a lot of 80s bands that my husband introduced me to.

SPEAKER_01 32:05

Rat.

SPEAKER_00 32:05

And yeah, rap. I love that's big hair there.

SPEAKER_01 32:08

Oh, yeah, that's it. Poison. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 32:11

All of that. So um, yeah, he introduced yeah, after eight years of marriage, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:16

That's good. That's good. That's a good man right there. What's your favorite movie of all time?

unknown 32:21

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Oh, um, my man Godfrey.

SPEAKER_01 32:24

Really?

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:27

That's a first.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

It is. I haven't even seen it. You've got to.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

I guess so. Yeah. If it's your favorite.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

Yeah, it's good. But I like like The Quiet Man.

SPEAKER_01 32:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Um, that's a great movie. I'm over two on that. Godfather's great. Okay, there we go. Yeah. You know, one, two, and three. You have to watch all three of them. That's right. Um, you know, but I think that runs in the blood too a little bit. A little bit. Yeah, even though I'm Irish, so I can't say I'm yeah. But yeah, I think I've I've earned that title of being in that family long enough. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

So you have the uh the entire country on an uh on uh on point, and they're looking at you for 30 seconds, and they're all gonna hear what you have to say to the country. You're on stage, no distractions. As we close out this show, what would you tell the country? What message would you give?

SPEAKER_00 33:13

Small businesses in any community, they need your help. You have to support them. You can't just buy off of Amazon all the time. Um, and I get that you can't find everything in small communities all the time, but you have to be there for them because they're the ones supporting Little Lake, they're the ones supporting, you know, the the schools, they're the ones supporting um other businesses. And it's really important for people to realize, yeah, I've got to go into you know the Doherty Hotel and have breakfast or our local um Herrick House and have breakfast there at the Mulberry Cafe or the 505 Cafe, you know, you gotta support those. And I'm not just saying restaurants, there's antique places, there's shops. You want to go in, you want to see those, you want to meet the people behind the counter too, because they're your neighbors, they're your friends, and we're there for you when you need something, and hopefully you'll be there for us when we need something.

SPEAKER_01 34:16

And that is another episode of the working class podcast. Thanks for the pizza. When you're a Claire, make sure you go.

SPEAKER_00 34:23

Say it right's pizza.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Busily's pizza.