Where everybody knows your name
By ERNEST HOOPER
Published December 21, 2007
Every day around noon at Mott & Hester Deli you can find all the regulars eating grilled sandwiches or roasted chicken or fresh squash casserole at their customary seats.
The loyal customers are so steady they have to let owner Ted Kelly know when they're going on vacation so he doesn't worry.
"We actually have to direct other people out of their spots," Kelly said. "If they're sitting in Kevin Platt's spot, they'll be advised, 'That's Kevin chair.' "
The unique scene is one of many that has developed since Ted and his wife Gina opened the doors to this South Tampa favorite in 1982. Today, Mott & Hester celebrates its 25th anniversary at its original location, 1155 S Dale Mabry Highway.
So what has helped the deli reach silver anniversary success? Start with the food, which traces its origins to one of the city's more famous former restaurants. Gina's family, the D'avanzas, were the original owners of Selena's in Hyde Park Village. Ted, who was in sales, and Gina, an accountant, decided to take the restaurant plunge, using some of the family recipes.
They originally planned on naming the restaurant the Pasta Gourmet, with a focus on providing take-home dishes for working couples too busy to cook. But on a visit to New York to purchase a pasta machine, the vibrancy on the corner of Mott and Hester in Little Italy left an impression.
So they changed the name to Mott & Hester, and the business model also changed, evolving into a sit-down restaurant specializing in lunch.
Now folks flock for the wild turkey (smoked turkey housed in French bread and covered with pepper jack cheese), the Vinny T. (roast beef, havarti cheese, dill sauce and red onions on grilled rye) and the macaroni and cheese. Yet the charm of Mott & Hester goes beyond food.
"If we're going to be here all day every day, we would rather have the people that come here be our friends rather than just acquaintances," Ted said. "Rather than assigning a number, we ask for the customers' names. After a couple of visits, you're part of the regular crew."
Even Florida State and University of Georgia fans partake despite Ted's rabid fondness for the University of Florida. The Gator graduate decorates his walls with orange and blue posters and photos, including one of him kissing an unsuspecting Danny Wuerffel.
At the height of lunch, folks banter about sports and issues of the day. Ted and his two longtime general managers, Eddie Belmonte and Lou Collazo, greet everyone with smiles. Regular customers freely walk behind the counter to refill their drinks..
"It's almost like a Cheers type deal," said Platt, a commercial real estate broker for Smith & Associates. "It's very informal, the food is good and everybody has a good time."
Food and friendliness are important, but so is hard work. Kelly says he had to make the restaurant a success because he didn't have a backup plan.
While he is quick to credit his help, his own work ethic is reflected in the fact he went from no cooking experience to being able to prepare every menu item.
Now his motivation comes from a clientele that includes three generations.
"That's probably the most rewarding part of all of it," Kelly said, "the trust you get from people when they bring their kids in."
In another 25 years, I hope I'm there with my grandkids.
That's all I'm saying.