Seattle Restaurant Store

Updating a long-time favorite

The Catania family has a long history in the Seattle area. Going back as early as 1920, Sam Catania founded Catania & Sons in Georgetown. The company morphed its way through the many war eras, changing names and locations - including storefronts on 5^th Avenue and Eastlake. Today the Seattle Restaurant Store carries on the Catania tradition on Aurora Avenue under the helm of owner Anthony Catania.

Since moving to Aurora Avenue in the summer of 1999, the Seattle Restaurant Store has experienced a 40% increase in sales. Overall sales are split between the restaurant industry at 75%, and consumer business, which accounts for the other 25%.

A trip into the store, which is open to the public, reveals a plethora of industrial grade kitchen and bar items that are top quality and affordable. Whether you own a 500 seat restaurant, or just want to outfit your kitchen at home, SRS probably has a number of things you can use. If you're tired of cheap cookware from K-Mart, and low grade whisks, spatulas and other baking goods you might pick up at Target, your trip to SRS will reveal the virtues of having a quality kitchen at home for about the same price you'd spend on sub-par goods elsewhere.

SRS is a bit of a destination location perched on Aurora Avenue just past 145^th Street in Shoreline. Nonetheless, people come from miles around to shop here. Anthony Catania says, "We don't do a lot of advertising, our biggest draw comes from word of mouth."

The secret to their low prices, which are often 50% to 70% off of list price, lies in Catania's buying prowess and his connections to quality manufacturers. "We have to act fast when a good deal comes our way," says Catania. "We don't always know just how we're going to move the product when we buy it; the important thing is to pick up the deal while it's there, then figure out the sales strategy later." SRS often makes large purchases on items such as cookware, aprons, chairs and just about anything you can think of that is a part of the dining experience. Today SRS has split its buying between two teams, one that sources for the restaurant side, and the other which sources for the consumer side.

A recent catch was a batch of 4,000 aprons in various colors. "The deal was that we had to take them all, regardless of color, so we did. Now the challenge is to figure out what to do with the few oddball colors that were in the lot," Catania says.

The buying team is always on the lookout for "emerging items" – items that are hot, or picking up steam in the market. Over the years that has included tools like Cuisinart and Waring gadgets, coffee makers, juicers and the latest crazes in cookware and cutlery.

As for being online, SRS has a website, but does not do any online selling. Catania notes - "We want people to come into the store, look around and see the products for themselves."

A shrewd businessman, Catania (left) is careful to select employees based on background. Most SRS employees have chef, restaurant, or compatible business background which is the glue that makes the team click, and provides the best level of customer service a single specialty location can offer.

How about something used? For many startup restaurants, new owners may be looking to cut corners by finding a good deal on a used commercial grade freezer, Wolf gas range or bakery case. SRS has more than 1,000 square feet of used items on hand making it more affordable for people to outfit their spaces with quality pre-owned products at a good price.

For the time being, SRS has no plans to open any other locations. "We want to remain profitable and have fun" says Catania.

TM/Summer 2003

The Seattle Restaurant Store, Inc
14910 Aurora Ave. North
(206)362-4900
http://www.seattlerestaurantstore.com