{"id":1350,"date":"2011-11-23T18:06:00","date_gmt":"2011-11-23T18:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thesecretnewsonline.com\/?p=1350"},"modified":"2011-11-23T18:06:00","modified_gmt":"2011-11-23T18:06:00","slug":"why-buy-local-buccis-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesecretnewsonline.com\/?p=1350","title":{"rendered":"Why Buy Local? Bucci’s"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Emeryville tradition supplies locals with fresh Italian fare<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The saga of how Bucci\u2019s came to be is both an intriguing story of the \u201970\u2019s and \u201880\u2019s and a key to its success. The three owners of Bucci\u2019s \u2013 Amelia\u00a0 Bucci, Paul Camardo, and Leslie Julian \u2013 are old friends who have known each other since the early 1970\u2019s.\u00a0 Bucci (as Amelia is now known to her customers) and Paul both hail from Syracuse.\u00a0 They met Leslie Julian at a tobacco shop on Harvard Square where Paul worked after spending a few semesters at Harvard.<\/p>\n

These three friends shared with a few others \u00a0a communal house; there they acted on their love of cooking and good food, beginning the tradition of cooking for friends.\u00a0 Once a month they would host a dinner by reservation only for those who were lucky enough to be acquainted with them.<\/p>\n

A few years later all the members of the household decided to move to California.\u00a0 Once here, all three of worked for several years at their own jobs.\u00a0 Les worked at UC Berkeley, Bucci as a social worker and Paul went to LA for a hotel job.\u00a0 Then in 1985, Bucci quit her job and the idea of a restaurant began to percolate.\u00a0 They essentially had no money except what they cobbled together from friends.\u00a0 \u201cIt was probably crazy,\u201d said Bucci, marveling at the hubris of their youthful decision. They looked all around the East Bay, but found that the only available restaurant spaces were \u201cpits.\u201d<\/p>\n

A breakthrough came when their lawyer, long-time Emeryville resident Greg Harper, worked out a deal with Ken Bukowski, then the owner of Silks nightclub at the Public Market.\u00a0 Silks was only open after 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, so Bucci and her partners carved out a kitchen that could be approved by the Health Department, brought in some tables and chairs, and opened, on April 15,1987, for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday. The menu depended heavily on pizza.<\/p>\n

Every Friday night at 9:30, while the DJ was warming up \u2013 \u00a0the decibels increasing by the minute \u2013 they would scurry to remove the tables and chairs and then exit before their ears began to ring and the patrons in their fancy nightclub attire arrived.\u00a0 \u201c I can still remember the pounding of the music, the disco balls and strobe lights,\u201d laughs Bucci.<\/p>\n

Only eight months later, after a couple of positive reviews \u2013 one from Janet Fletcher of the Chronicle \u2013 \u00a0Bucci and her partners were forced out on their own when Public Market took over Silk\u2019s space.\u00a0 Again attorney Greg Harper stepped in and was able to negotiate with Rich Robbins of Wareham Development for the space at 6121 Hollis, where Bucci\u2019s has been ever since.\u00a0 Relying on friends for design (Jeremy Hamm) and construction (Charlie Metcalf), Bucci\u2019s as we know it was born.<\/p>\n

In 1987 Emeryville was quite a different place.\u00a0 New lofts were just beginning to replace old industrial businesses and there were only a few contemporary restaurants:\u00a0 the Townhouse on Doyle had just re-opened as a restaurant (shedding its country-music-bar-character);\u00a0 Carrara\u2019s, a popular caf\u00e9 on Powell; \u00a0and, Kathleen\u2019s Doyle St. Caf\u00e9, now known as the Doyle St. Caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

24 years later Bucci is struck by the fact that \u201cEmeryville has grown back into a flourishing town, but different.\u201d Now condos house most of the residents and the businesses are cleaner.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Entering Bucci\u2019s, one is struck by the light pouring in through the many expansive windows and by the angles of the various surfaces in the renovated warehouse.\u00a0 The post-modern industrial architecture works \u2013 enticing diners inside with lofty ceilings and white pillars that speak to the nature of the place:\u00a0 a casual yet serious restaurant.\u00a0 The striking curved wooden bar, a creation of Charlie Metcalf, is often crowded long before the tables are full.<\/p>\n

The food at Bucci\u2019s has remained true to its intention of serving fresh Italian fare, but has been updated over the years to respond to changing tastes and requests.\u00a0 The owners brought in the burger several years ago after long resisting including it in the menu.\u00a0 Bucci\u2019s now offers one that meets their high standards: they make the buns in-house and grind their own meat.\u00a0 Pizza, salads, and rotating entrees are featured on the appealing menu which ranges from affordable to slight splurge. A new item \u2013 gluten-free pizza \u2013 \u00a0has been well-received.<\/p>\n

The three partners share the work of running Bucci\u2019s.\u00a0 Bucci does the hosting, staffing and shares the menu development with the others.\u00a0 Paul is the purchasing agent and makes the bread and sausages himself.\u00a0 Les is the CFO and handles wine and alcohol purchasing.\u00a0 On Saturday afternoons, Bucci, Paul and Les can be found\u00a0 on site, with a few selected friends wine-tasting and working out the details of the business.<\/p>\n

Emeryville workers comprise Bucci\u2019s lunch customers:\u00a0 the computer programmers, biotech researchers, publishers and developers who swell our population during work hours.\u00a0 In the evening, one is likely to find diners from all over the Bay Area as well as locals, and, increasingly, families with children from the neighborhood. The Green room, a side dining area, has become a gallery with rotating exhibitions of local artists, and draws customers who primarily want to view art.<\/p>\n

How has Bucci\u2019s survived the economic downturn?\u00a0 \u201cWe haven\u2019t survived it yet\u201d, says Bucci, but \u201cwe\u2019ve come this far so, we will weather the storm.\u201d They haven\u2019t had to lay off workers but have adjusted the schedules. The restaurant doesn\u2019t advertise except in the \u201cBerkeley Monthly.\u201d\u00a0 99% of their new customers come from word-of-mouth and good reviews from Zagat, Yelp and Urban Spoon.\u00a0 To assist the community and to get the word out about their business, Bucci\u2019s donates gift certificates to schools and non-profit groups.<\/p>\n

When asked her opinions about the value of supporting local businesses, Bucci has a definite viewpoint:\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re the canaries in the coalmine. The number of local businesses is decreasing \u2013 you can see it every day in the papers.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t support us you\u2019ll have nothing but chains.\u00a0 Only the consumer has the power to save the locals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Could Emeryville do more to support its local commerce?\u00a0 Bucci likes the way Solano Ave. comes together with advertising for its local stores.\u00a0 Here in Emeryville,\u00a0 as a small business Bucci\u2019s hasn\u2019t seen the benefit in paying dues to the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce. \u00a0By contrast, a chamber focused on small local businesses would serve the whole community.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a small local business in Emeryville and would like to be featured in \u201cThe Secret News,\u201d please contact me on the blog.<\/em><\/p>\n

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