DeLuca's selling

A Lansing institution.

DeLuca’s Restaurant selling after 60 years of business

Whoa that’s a bummer. I thought that was the best pizza in town. Always got a chuckle out of the signed Nick Saban photo in the lobby.

that's too bad.. I don't go there often and, when I do, it's always for takeout (even pre-pandemic) but it always seemed like it was busy. The veggie pizza is quite tasty.

I get that running a restaurant can be absolutely exhausting, so I totally respect the family's decision.

Would be a great marketing stunt. Say you're selling, get a ton of people to come in, and then say you're keeping it in the family.

Restaurants are always a tough business. With food costs going up and probably labor costs, it's become harder.

Running a restaurant would be the absolute worst.

Don't know how/why anyone does it.

Guess you'll have to go to Cugino's instead.

StylesGShmooth wrote:Guess you'll have to go to Cugino's instead.

Maybe Cugino's will buy DeLuca's.

StylesGShmooth wrote:Guess you'll have to go to Cugino's instead.

Driving from EL to DeLuca’s is as far west as I’m willing to go, so I’m sure as hell not going to GL for a pizza.

NigelUno wrote:

StylesGShmooth wrote:Guess you'll have to go to Cugino's instead.

Maybe Cugino's will buy DeLuca's.  

Same family already

StylesGShmooth wrote:

NigelUno wrote:

Maybe Cugino's will buy DeLuca's.  

Same family already

Urban (or rural) legend. No relation.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:Running a restaurant would be the absolute worst.

Don't know how/why anyone does it.

It's a thankless business most the time too.
Years ago, husband's uncle opened a sports bar in fraser. His uncle is a well versed businessman. He researched the area for a long time, has great traffic, and population. They used their polish family recipes, and had a really good mix of bar food and home family cooking. Tons of sports TVs. But it just couldn't make it. The building has changed many times over already throughout the years too. They never made a profit, and put so much hard work into it.
Such a bummer, because it was a really cool place.

I just think with all of the new great flat screen TVs, at home viewing and drinking for major sporting events is becoming the norm. Less and less traffic in sports bars to watch games and meet people. It’s a really tough business.

DWags wrote:I just think with all of the new great flat screen TVs, at home viewing and drinking for major sporting events is becoming the norm. Less and less traffic in sports bars to watch games and meet people. It’s a really tough business.

Very true.
This was around 15 years ago

I've had a few ideas to modernize the entire restaurant dining experience.

First off I don't know about you folks but when the meal is done I'm done. This entire signalling the waiter for the check, waiting for the check, reviewing the check, giving the card for the check, waiting for them to run the card and bring you the receipt to sign is brutal. It can add up to 15 to 20 minutes to the entire time and anyone with an average IQ understands this period of the dining experience is no fun.

Time to use a tech solution to speed this process up, simplify it and restaurants will win because they can turn over tables quicker.

steveschneider wrote:I've had a few ideas to modernize the entire restaurant dining experience.

First off I don't know about you folks but when the meal is done I'm done. This entire signalling the waiter for the check, waiting for the check, reviewing the check, giving the card for the check, waiting for them to run the card and bring you the receipt to sign is brutal. It can add up to 15 to 20 minutes to the entire time and anyone with an average IQ understands this period of the dining experience is no fun.

Time to use a tech solution to speed this process up, simplify it and restaurants will win because they can turn over tables quicker.

Some restaurants have established a tablet to order/pay your bill. I'm a fan of that, while still having the server when I need them.

Dendrobates wrote:

steveschneider wrote:I've had a few ideas to modernize the entire restaurant dining experience.

First off I don't know about you folks but when the meal is done I'm done. This entire signalling the waiter for the check, waiting for the check, reviewing the check, giving the card for the check, waiting for them to run the card and bring you the receipt to sign is brutal. It can add up to 15 to 20 minutes to the entire time and anyone with an average IQ understands this period of the dining experience is no fun.

Time to use a tech solution to speed this process up, simplify it and restaurants will win because they can turn over tables quicker.

Some restaurants have established a tablet to order/pay your bill. I'm a fan of that, while still having the server when I need them.

We have on restaurant in town that has sort of a streamlined app based ordering system but it leans into too much tech. I think there's a perfect balance. I want to talk to a human when I'm ordering but I want to use a machine to close out and leave. Also, putting in for a drink when a beer is empty would be a perk to the tablet system. I think tech can absolutely be used to improve the dining experience.

Was just at a brewry in Suttons bay....(https://hoplotbrewing.com/) they had scan things on each table. When you ordered and paid on your phone, they knew which table to deliver to. Kinda cool.

AvgMSUJoe wrote:Was just at a brewry in Suttons bay....(https://hoplotbrewing.com/) they had scan things on each table. When you ordered and paid on your phone, they knew which table to deliver to. Kinda cool.

Yeah, when I’m out fine dining I sort of want a ‘wham bam thank you mam’ but with my meal. When I’m done I want to get in the car and go.

Deluca's Has Been Sold

30+ years ago when we lived in Lansing we’d get a DeLuca Special about twice a month.  

The bar/restaurant business is tough and the pizza business is cutthroat but for years the 2nd shifters at the GM/Oldsmobile plants on the south and north sides of Saginaw Hwy mobbed the place for lunch break and hit the bar after their shift.

After those plants were leveled I was surprised DeLuca’s owners didn’t throw in the towel a year after the plants closed and they lost 30%+ of their regular weekly customers.

GRR Spartan wrote:30+ years ago when we lived in Lansing we’d get a DeLuca Special about twice a month.

The bar/restaurant business is tough and the pizza business is cutthroat but for years the 2nd shifters at the GM/Oldsmobile plants on the south and north sides of Saginaw Hwy mobbed the place for lunch break and hit the bar after their shift.

After those plants were leveled I was surprised DeLuca’s owners didn’t throw in the towe a year after the plants closed and they lost 30%+ of their regular weekly customers.

True. There a bunch of "shop bars" in Lansing that lived and died with the plants. Amazing how many have held on.

Sale fell through. Closing tomorrow.

DeLuca’s restaurant in Lansing to close Saturday

NigelUno wrote:Sale fell through. Closing tomorrow.

DeLuca’s restaurant in Lansing to close Saturday

What a bummer. I’d love to get that Nick Saban pic from their lobby as a memento from a great lansing institution.

steveschneider wrote:

NigelUno wrote:Sale fell through. Closing tomorrow.

DeLuca’s restaurant in Lansing to close Saturday

What a bummer. I’d love to get that Nick Saban pic from their lobby as a memento from a great lansing institution.

Hope somebody buys it. Seems like a place that should be able to stay in business.

NigelUno wrote:

steveschneider wrote:

What a bummer. I’d love to get that Nick Saban pic from their lobby as a memento from a great lansing institution.

Hope somebody buys it. Seems like a place that should be able to stay in business.

Yeah, at the very least just convert to delivery/pick-up place. It is a serious bummer. Kind of upset last time I was in town I went to that newish over priced place by old town and had wished I had gone to Delucas instead.

steveschneider wrote:

NigelUno wrote:

Hope somebody buys it. Seems like a place that should be able to stay in business.

Yeah, at the very least just convert to delivery/pick-up place. It is a serious bummer. Kind of upset last time I was in town I went to that newish over priced place by old town and had wished I had gone to Delucas instead.

Cosmos? They have more fancy options/toppings. Definitely different than old school Lansing pizza like DeLuca's/Casa Nova/Emil's.

I only know the bar restaurant business “business” as a vendor when there was new construction or remodeling and I learned how work is required and tenuous is can be to stay solvent.

I suspect DeLuca’s costs for everything from food to glassware and paper products has increased while business, especially for dine in and alcohol sales struggled.

Guessing when the potential buyer bailed or changed terms or financing wasn’t there, DeLuca’s owner decided to stop his losses. He still owns the building and the liquor license.

All he needs to do is pay to keep the building @50-55 degrees and keep the water on.

NigelUno wrote:

steveschneider wrote:

Yeah, at the very least just convert to delivery/pick-up place. It is a serious bummer. Kind of upset last time I was in town I went to that newish over priced place by old town and had wished I had gone to Delucas instead.

Cosmos? They have more fancy options/toppings. Definitely different than old school Lansing pizza like DeLuca's/Casa Nova/Emil's.

That's the place. Thanks couldn't remember the name of it. The pizza was good, I just prefer a basic traditional family place like DeLucas though. I don't remember Casa Nova's pizza but I do remember enjoying Emil's. Two great Lansing institutions gone.

steveschneider wrote:

NigelUno wrote:

Cosmos? They have more fancy options/toppings. Definitely different than old school Lansing pizza like DeLuca's/Casa Nova/Emil's.

That's the place. Thanks couldn't remember the name of it. The pizza was good, I just prefer a basic traditional family place like DeLucas though. I don't remember Casa Nova's pizza but I do remember enjoying Emil's. Two great Lansing institutions gone.

The original Casa Nova was on MLK (Logan). Owner sold that one, and then opened a smaller restaurant on Waverly a few years later. Original has been closed for awhile.

NigelUno wrote:

steveschneider wrote:

Yeah, at the very least just convert to delivery/pick-up place. It is a serious bummer. Kind of upset last time I was in town I went to that newish over priced place by old town and had wished I had gone to Delucas instead.

Cosmos? They have more fancy options/toppings. Definitely different than old school Lansing pizza like DeLuca's/Casa Nova/Emil's.

never been to Cosmos but a couple of friends invited us to visit that gentrified joint next door - Zoobies - with them. We went and, as I recall, they got a pizza from next door.

definitely not my scene.