Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Robert St. John: The Capri

Check out this week's recipe.  

One never knows where the restaurant business will lead. Though I do know, if a restaurateur stays in the business long enough, he or she gets to the point to where there's a surprise around every corner. This morning I will be heading out to Las Vegas. I won't be taking a gambling junket or heading out to see Wayne Newton. I'll be attending Cinemacon.


 
Cinemacon is an annual convention held for movie theater owners which introduces them to new technologies, new releases, and all things pertaining to owning and operating a movie theater. Why would a restaurateur be going to Cinemacon one may ask? The answer to that question lies in my original assertion— that one never knows where the restaurant business will lead.

 

I am in the middle of a large project in the Fondren neighborhood of Jackson, MS where my business partners and I are opening a 10-lane bowling alley, restaurant, bar, tiki bar, a second location for Ed's Burger Joint with a lot of outdoor bar space, and a movie theater.

 

Those who know me know that owning and operating a movie theater is a lifelong dream. I am a movie fanatic. Always have been, always will be. I went to four matinees last week. I rarely hunt, and when I do it’s turkey hunting (and the turkeys are pretty safe when I'm in the woods). I fish maybe once or twice a year with my brother. I don't play golf. My hobbies are travel, restaurants, football, music, and movies. The ranking of those five items alternates depending on the time of year.

 

Owning a restaurant was a dream of mine from the first minute I started working in the restaurant business. But for years prior, I had been attending movies, and have always dreamed of owning a theater.

 

Once I opened my first restaurant in 1987, I became single-minded and focused on one thing, and that was making that restaurant— and all future restaurants that I might open— successful ventures. The dream of one day opening a movie theater was put on a shelf and I never expected to that dream to materialize.

 

The reader should know that if a restaurateur stays in the business long enough, he or she will start receiving phone calls from realtors and developers about potential restaurant locations, and available buildings that would be “perfect” for a new restaurant or bar. There are several reasons for this. One of them is that restaurants have a high mortality rate. I once heard a statistic that stated, “Only 10% of independent restaurants survive after five years.” If that is the case, then there will always be a supply of available restaurant buildings for operators to occupy. In the early days when I would receive those calls, the person would always state that they would “Love to have me, and one of my concepts, in that location.” In the early days those phone calls would play to my ego. “They want me and my restaurant concept!” What I learned— more times than not— it was someone trying to bail out of a bad real estate decision. The true opportunities are rare.

 

One of those true opportunities surfaced four years ago when I was approached by a partnership team in the capital city of Jackson, Mississippi who were developing property in the Fondren neighborhood. I have always considered Fondren the coolest neighborhood in the biggest city in the state. A bowling alley was already on the drawing board, and they knew they wanted a restaurant and bar. But that's about as far as the plans had gone. The Capri theater which is a historic building that opened in 1940 was— when I joined the project— going to be changed into a live music venue. When I hopped onto of the venture, I added a small tiki bar concept to the plans, and changed the restaurant and bar attached to the bowling alley into a smaller version of the New Orleans-themed restaurant and bar concept we operate in Hattiesburg. There was an abandoned gas station next door, so I suggested putting the second Ed's burger Joint there.

 

The potential music venue worried me. I have owned a live music venue in the past and had a blast with it. But Jackson already has live music covered as my friend, Arden Barnett, has an excellent venue across the street. That is when I suggested we keep the Capri theater a theater. The partners were relieved as that had been their desire from the start, and they had already done extensive research in that area.

 

I was surprised to learn that Jackson doesn't have a movie theater inside the city limits. To me, that is criminal. The capital city of Mississippi should have a theater. 

 

I knew we had made the right decision as people who grew up going to movies at the Capri over five or six decades continually expressed their excitement to me about its reopening. Also, I was having one of my lifetime dreams come true.

 

I am not naive enough to think that going to movies all of the time qualifies me as a theater owner. That is no different than the people I have heard over the years who say, “I eat in restaurants all the time, so I think I’m going to open one.” Dining in restaurants gives a person about 5% of what they know what they need to know about operating a restaurant. So we have hired excellent consultants who will steer us through the theater-owning process, and that is why I am on a Southwest flight headed to Las Vegas to Cinemacon.

 

Our consultant, Bruce Taffet, used to manage the Capri years ago. He later became president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, and his career has come full circle back to the place where it all started. We’re doing a historic renovation on the outside of the 160-seat Capri but adding reclining seats, a full bar, and appetizers that will be served from the restaurant, and will offer first run films and classics. I have always been a loyal customer of our restaurants, and I will certainly be a customer in our theater. Though my bowling score could use a lot of work.

 

Again, one never knows where their career will take them. What I've learned is that if one is passionate about what they do, if one treats others well and keeps moving forward, opportunities will arise. I feel blessed that it has been the case in my life. 

 

Onward.




Sugared Peanuts

 

As a kid, I never ate the peanuts in my box of Cracker Jack, opting for the caramel-coated popcorn only. If the peanuts would’ve tasted like these, I wouldn’t have had any reservations.  

 

2 Tbl butter

1 /4 tsp salt

1 pound roasted unsalted peanuts

2 cups sugar

 

In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in 1 /2 cup of the sugar and cook until it begins to turn a light tan (It will also begin to melt slightly). Stir in peanuts mixing well in hot sugar mixture. Sprinkle another 1 /2 cup of the sugar and continue mixing constantly. Cook 4-5 minutes. Repeat process until all sugar has been added to the peanuts, constantly stirring the nuts to prevent uneven cooking or burning.

 

When cooled completely, store in airtight container.

 

Can be served warm or at room temperature. 

 

Yield: 6 cups


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

where will your customers park in Fondren? Isn't that like, a major issue for most of the businesses in that area?

Anonymous said...

Really looking forward to this most recent adventure of RSJ. A modern movie theater in Jackson with an attached restaurant (which I am sure will be a great one) along with an attached bar showing classics will keep me in Jackson rather than going to Pearl or Madison to see the same movies.

Fondren as a restaurant destination will double down once these open. Glad this was one of those calls that RSJ listened to when pitched.

Anonymous said...

Are you really suggesting that a functioning brain would rather watch movies at this cheap-looking Jackson theater formerly known as Mississippi Blood Services opposed to state-of-the-art theaters located in both Madison and Pearl?

1:41 said...

2:27 -- YES, and I think my brain is still functioning quite well, thank you.

I've been to both the 'state of the art' theaters you mention, and this one will also be 'state of the art' but just not with the glitzy entrances surrounded by a parking lot.

My understanding is that the Capri will have the same amenities as your 'state of the art' venues along with the attached RSJ restaurant which will give me something to enjoy rather than reheated pizza or a $7 bag of popcorn.

Thanks, though, for your concern. Be glad for you to enjoy your stay in Pearl; I'll try out the Capri.

Anonymous said...

This is going to be a home run. people will travel far for good food and good times

Anonymous said...

All this talk about Ed’s Burgers buuuut why hasn’t construction started ?

Anonymous said...

I have been to several matinee movies in Madison, pre COVID, in the afternoon during the week. There have never been more than a handful of people attending. Just an observation.

Anonymous said...

I live in the burbs but I wish this venue much success.

I don't travel in Jackson often so I doubt I will partake, but I hope the folks who live there support it fully. Good for them!


Anonymous said...

This must be another one of those posts where Kingfish only approves flattering comments.
Okay, here goes…

Thoughts and Prayers for Robert St. John’s success in The Fondren”

Anonymous said...

Sure is easy to spot the posts by those providing PR backup. Baseball terminology? How perki!

Due to a violent encounter at the cinema in Rankin County (which terrified the kids, and could have gotten my husband sent to prison, for defending us against some teenage rednecks), I've been inside exactly ONE movie theatre, within the past three decades (unless you count galas held in restored 1920s Movie Palaces - in far-distant regions with better demographics).

And we generally are not drawn to buildings painted Sensory Deprivation Grey (not knocking the color - I mean, that's THE hot color at WalMart and other fine retailers, and, as a component of 'All-Neutrals' color schemes, Sensory Deprivation Grey is positively de rigueur for today's upscale manufactured housing - particularly in your ultra-elite doublewide class). Still, I wish them luck.

Justice for Fondren said...

As a savvy investor, I wouldn’t have my money anywhere near this project. Great concept, wrong location. Free investment advice: go north 15 miles.

Anonymous said...

I'm Trying to figure out what the first movie I saw at the Capri was and it escapes me at the moment. I do know my wife (50 years in December) and I went to Shakey's and then drove a half block to see Dr. Zhivago, probably in 1969. In case anyone is interested, the good Doctor from Russia was a sure fire Babe pleaser. I'd take her tonight if it was on somewhere in the area.

Good luck Robert. We love Mr. Ed's burgers and onion rings. I predict we will be good customers once you guys get everything in place.

Why not open a Shakey's while you are turning Fondren back to the good old days. Their thin crust sausage and shrimp pizza (crunchy big air bubbles in the thin crunchy crust) with a pitcher of cold amber fluid was so good.

Anonymous said...

@2:41PM
We’re not competing with each other. You like apples, I like oranges. No problem.

Anonymous said...

I wish him lots of luck: he will need it.

Anonymous said...

While I have given up on Jackson, I applaud those who keep plugging. I wish them safety and success.

Anonymous said...

5:43 Galas AND entering only businesses with the right color scheme? How in the world do you find the time away from your tennis lessons and mimosa brunches at jcc?

Anonymous said...

Nice. The neck beards and blue haired gals need a place to go.

Anonymous said...

I thought the neck beards favored the Redneck Yacht Club?

Anonymous said...

What is wrong with you people?
It all starts with parking complaints. 1:36, will you even go? Why do you care?
2:27 I love the fancy cinemas in Madison and Ridgeland, but this will be a completely different experience that my brain and I are looking forward to.
3:27 Construction has started on the overall project. Are you hungry?
6:24 Wrong. Great location. Come experience "The Fondren".


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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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