Local StoriesMay 8, 2023

Inspiring Conversations with Anthony & Frankie Lopez of Frankie’s Cafe

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony & Frankie Lopez.

Hi Anthony & Frankie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Around July 2020, I, Anthony, started working as a cook for a small cafe named Downhome Cafe. After working a few months there, the owner approached me about possibly buying the cafe. I brushed it off because I didn’t think she was being serious. Then she came to me towards the end of the year about buying the cafe. This time, I felt like she was being serious because they wanted to retire to spend time with the new grandbaby. After talking to my wife, Frankie, about it, we both decided it was better to try than to walk away from an opportunity to own a turnkey restaurant. So in February 2021, Frankie and I officially opened the cafe as Peculiar Downhome Cafe. Going into this, we knew it was a failing business, but we needed to realize how big it was. Within a few months of switching ownership, business picked up. By the end of 2021, we could remodel the dining room and rebrand it as Frankie’s Cafe. I picked Frankie’s because, with my wife’s support, I live my dream of owning a restaurant.

Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It has been a challenging road. Neither Frankie nor I have any business background, so this has been a huge learning experience. I have all the cooking and customer service experience, and Frankie has been able to help with the finance side of the business. We had to learn how to set up payroll and pay our employees. Neither of us had experience hiring people, and being on the other side of the interview is very different. So that has been a huge learning curve for us.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Frankie’s is a small, family-owned, operated cafe in Peculiar, Missouri. We specialize in breakfast and lunch and are known for our porky pig (diced ham, bacon, and sausage on top of a bed of hash browns with gravy, cheese, your choice of egg on top, and a side of toast). We even tenderize and hand-press all of our fried meats to order (tenderloin, country-fried steak, and country-fried chicken). At Frankie’s, you shouldn’t have to spend much money on a quality home-cooked meal. When you walk in, you’re greeted with food for thought. Frankie shares these inspirational quotes daily on our Facebook, Instagram, and dry-erase board at the cafe. What sets us apart is that in a world that is already so judgmental, we wanted to create a space where everyone feels welcomed and at home.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
We use Facebook and Instagram to do most of our advertising.

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