Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris And Dani Seymour.
Chris and Dani, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Chris has been in restaurant business for over thirty years in management and operations. He worked 15 years for Ruby Tuesday from 1993-2008 and a Florida based “NY style Jewish Deli/Bakery” called TooJay’s for 15 years from 2008-2023. Dani started her career at Panera Bread in 2005 and ended her time there as the Director of Catering for the Orlando market. During that 12-year period, she streamlined the operations of their catering program, built sales and assisted with new restaurant openings. After Panera, Dani signed on to be the Director of Catering at TooJay’s Deli. That’s where we met and it all began.
When the pandemic hit, it really took the wind out of the sails of the hospitality business. Chris walked away for a career break for the first time and Dani’s position went fully remote selling catering. In early 2023, our daughter, Hailey, was recruited to play softball for College of Charleston. Realizing that we were going to be downsizing anyway, and neither of our careers were preventing us from leaving Orlando, we decided to make the move to South Carolina. We wanted to be close enough to watch her play through her collegiate career, yet far enough away that she had space to enjoy college on her own, so we ultimately purchased a home in Summerville.
We were delighted to discover that we had a NY deli so close to our house, obviously that type of food is near and dear to our hearts. When we wandered into CB&D one Saturday to try it out, the restaurant was packed! We left there inspired, because while the wait was long, every team member we interacted with was very kind and the guests seemed happy. It inspired Chris to get back to work and look for businesses for sale. After looking at everything BUT restaurants online, Chris realized that hospitality is his passion and maybe it was time to give it another shot. He then looked for restaurants for sale in the area and wouldn’t you know it…..Charleston Bakery and Deli was for sale. During due diligence, we met the owner Kerry Botz, and she welcomed us to spend time in the restaurant meeting the team and observing their operations. We learned Kerry’s story, and that unfortunately she was needing to sell the restaurant as her health was declining. While we were new to Summerville, it was easy to see that CB&D was special and needed to continue to serve this community for years to come. October 21, 2024 was the first day we assumed control. We cleaned it up a bit, put fresh paint on the walls and installed new floors in the front-of-house. We also redirected the queue line so we could add a second register to help with the busy weekends, but it was a major goal of ours to keep with the built-in traditions that were already well rooted in the community. We decided not to make any drastic changes to the aesthetic – we embraced the lava lamps, tie-dye t-shirts and fun vibes, and it has been an amazing 18 months so far! We love our CB&D Family!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As can be expected with any change in ownership/management, we had some employee turnover early on, and there was a period of time where we were both working in positions to fill that void. Dani focused on front-of-house and Chris focused on back-of-house. Looking back, this was a blessing because it allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the business and we quickly found out where we could improve operationally. We were also able to be hands-on with new-hires while supporting the existing team. This is a WE over ME environment and anyone who thinks they are above the team will not fit in the culture we strive to achieve as owners.
Fast-casual brands also have a tendency to lack in customer service, or even more importantly, hospitality. There are two major brands that influence us in our approach to hospitality; Ritz-Carlton and Chick-Fil-A. Hospitality is NOT just for 5-star hotels. It is for every guest who walks in your building who deserves to be treated like 5-stars because they chose YOU to dine with today!! They chose YOU to spend their hard earned money with. Your guests deserve the same respect in return. After all, without our guests there is no Charleston Bakery and Deli.
So for us, getting the right team who was behind our mission 100% was extremely important. We are very proud that 50% of the original team is still with us. They are our rock, our foundation, and we truly believe our team is what makes this place special.
As you know, we’re big fans of Charleston Bakery and Deli. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We proudly serve scratch made bakery items. A huge line of gluten free desserts (which NEVER taste gluten free). Our best selling cake is our GF Chocolate Empire Blackout Cake. We stand by the “Bubbies” (Jewish for Grandma) out there and handmake our own Matzo Balls, Chicken Soup, Potato Latkes (pancakes), Chopped Liver and Knish! We serve breakfast and lunch menus all day – open 7am-3pm, 7 days a week. You can get anything from our Bagelwich, to breakfast platters, to salads, to four different types of Reubens on what may be the best rye bread you will ever have in your life! We also feature the old school thick cut steak fries, along with several deli salads for side options. I would also challenge you to come in and try our Homemade Rustic Tomato Pie – Fresh vine ripe tomatoes smothered with fresh basil, mozzarella, Duke’s mayo, fresh herbs and lots of love all encased in homemade pie crust and topped with puff pastry!! No matter what you come in for, just come hungry!
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless by Jeffrey Gitomer
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Know What Matters by Ron Shaich
Contact Info:
- Website: https://charlestonbakeryanddeli.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleston_bakery_and_deli/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Charlestonbakery/
