Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Hancock.
Hi Joel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started in the restaurant business in 1981; one of my stints was with El Chico, where I met Tracey Sanford. We hit it off immediately. He purchased West Side Cafe in 1996. Shortly after that, he approached me to join him there. I was hesitant but finally gave in in 2003.
I’d managed West Side Cafe for almost 20 years when the Tracey, the owner and one of my closest friends, unexpectedly passed away. In August of 2023, I purchased the restaurant with a group of investors, including my son, Brian, Bourke Harvey, and Gigi Howell, from Tracey’s brother.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been anything but a smooth road. The estate took around 2 years to settle, but we managed to keep our long-term employees, a.k.a. the West Side Family, together through it all. Since we’ve taken over, we’ve remodeled the building and tweaked the menu slightly. Our goal was to create a more desirable experience without losing our culture or reputation of great food and service.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
West Side Cafe is more than a restaurant; we’re a family. This includes our staff as well as our customers. I refer to it as “Cheers without alcohol.” It’s a social event for a lot of our guests. We are a throwback to the diners of yesteryear. Our food is prepared fresh daily from scratch. We even cut our own steaks and pork chops. We have a lot of long-term employees, and I consider them the best in the business. Our people know a majority of the customers by name, and our kitchen staff is second to none.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Simple – there’s no detail too small, and consistency is key!
Image Credits
Jill Johnson
