Originally written by Carl White.
One of the most popular businesses in Old Greenwich is Garden Catering. Carpenters, landscapers, teachers, doctors, and businessmen (on their way to the train) stop there every morning and lunchtime for a delicious sandwich. In the afternoon, students head there to get a “Special.” It’s one of the most recognizable spots in town. Although it’s “sandwiched” (pardon the pun) in between two other buildings, it handles a steady stream of traffic. I thought you might like to hear about its unique history.
THE BEGINNING
Garden Catering was established by Lou Iandoli. He was one of four partners who started up Garden Poultry at 176 Greenwich Avenue circa 1956. This was in the middle of the Avenue, near St. Mary Church. Iandoli decided to go out on his own, and opened up Garden Catering in Old Greenwich in 1978. In 1991, after Lou had passed away, the family sold it to Frank Carpenteri, Jr, who is a hard-working and smart businessman.
Frank’s parents were from Italy, and Frank grew up in Port Chester. He graduated from Port Chester High School. When he was 15- or 16- years old, he worked at Playland Amusement Park for a concession operated by Vaccaro’s Supermarket. He was one of 100 employees working for the family. This gave him a strong foundation in retail sales.
As the years passed, Carpenteri managed to open up his own restaurant in Port Chester. It wasn’t very profitable, and Frank had to work every night, which took him away from his family. The lease expired, and Frank decided to look for a new business. He drove up and down the streets of Port Chester and Greenwich looking for the right opportunity. This is when he spotted Garden Catering in Old Greenwich. He went in to look around, and ended up coming back on several Sundays to observe the operation. Then, one Monday he drove by and noticed the windows were all soaped up. He stopped, went inside, and found two men negotiating for the left over inventory. One man was the son of Lou Iandoli. Iandoli had recently passed away, and the family was trying to liquidate the equipment, etc. The other man was no other than Vinny Arcuri, owner of Arcuri’s Deli across the street! Frank asked the son if he wanted to sell the business, and the son told him to contact his mother who was handling the property. Frank visited the woman, and eventually negotiated the sale.
Carpenteri then had to obtain a lease from Mr Boles, the landlord. After Frank spent approximately $100,000 in repairs, he was able to secure a lease for the 500 square-foot building. (Frank made some additions, and today has 3000 square feet.) The new Garden Catering opened in December 1991, and was a big hit! They continued the fast food deli and catering business on an expanded basis. New equipment was added, and the operation was streamlined. Frank obtained the chicken nugget recipe, and added the Junior, Boss and Big Boy meals. The Special was (and still is) popular with the younger clientele. Other specialty sandwiches and salads were added, as well as daily specials.
SUCCESS
The catering side of the business has also taken off. Garden Catering provides food for such activities as cookouts, picnics, Bar Mitzvahs, banquets, graduations, and Greenwich High School sporting events. People love the variety of food available for small and large groups. Some companies hire Garden Catering to provide breakfast sandwiches and coffee. The operation is so popular and successful that franchises were opened in Stamford, Port Chester, Fairfield, Greenwich (Chickahominy), Mamaroneck, Fairfield, Black Rock.
Another reason Garden Catering is so successful is the staff. There’s very little turnover, and many employees have been with Frank for decades. This is because he is a very “benevolent” boss. His employees are like his family. When someone is injured and can’t work, he makes sure they still get a paycheck. He pays well, and never lays anyone off. Even during the 2008 recession, he cut back hours, but never let anyone go. Frank provides health insurance.
One employee, Frank Bertino – better known as Hotsie – worked at Garden Catering for 20 years. He was originally co-owner of a restaurant in Greenwich called the Oasis. Bertino was known for his chili. He would open Garden Catering for many of the early risers – landscapers, Post Office workers, commuters, etc. Hotsie was beloved by his customers, boss and co-workers. A sandwich was added to the menu in his honor – The Hotsie Bertino passed away in 2012. In every way, Carpenteri treats his employees with respect.
STAYING CURRENT
Frank also tries to keep up with the current trends in the food industry. He has subscriptions to several trade magazines, and is up on technology. A POS (Point of Sale) system was added to monitor the most popular items and track inventories. Frank added a Garden Catering website to develop a presence on the Internet. Whenever possible, he attends seminars and workshops. To improve communications, he has managers and employee meetings. When he heard the news about transfats, he switched to healthier vegetable oil for his customers. His daughter, Tina, and son, Frank, Jr., help him run the store, and they’ve contributed some valuable insight and ideas.
Frank is also a model citizen. He will buy ads to support school activities such as theater, sports and other worthwhile causes. He provides food for sports teams and special events. In December, he gives away food and provides a singer for “First Light.” As a member of the Old Greenwich Merchants Association, he supports local businesses in the community.
THE FUTURE
Frank Carpenteri has been very successful in his business. His store is a landmark in downtown Old Greenwich. People love to go there – not just for the food, but also for the camraderie. Jokes have even been made about installing a potbellied stove so people could sit around and discuss local events. Customers come in and talk to the staff – Mike Paoletta, Pedro Poloj, Matt Hurta, Dave, Alex, Gabriel, etc. Frank has been approached by other people, who want to open up new franchises. He isn’t interested in licensing any new stores. Perhaps he feels over-extending would somehow affect the quality of his operation.
It’s obvious Frank Carpenteri loves his work. Despite being “semi-retired,” he still spends a lot of time in the store. He must also love people. I get the feeling that his friends, employees or family could talk to him about any problem. And it looks like he’s passing along his successful business habits to his daughter and son – Tina and Frank, Jr. Frank is a great father, grandfather, and family man This is true success!
I love Garden Catering. I’m sure Garden Catering will be around for a long time. The future of the business looks very bright.
SOURCE
Carpenteri, F.; Garden Catering; Oral History Project, Friends of Greenwich Library, 2010; Greenwich CT
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