Johnny Meatballs Rebirth 2013
Johnny Meatballs Rebirth 2013
(March 25, 2013)
Big things to come...
So it’s officially Spring!
This past winter, I began an exhaustive search for my own Johnny Meatballs Café, which took me all over North Jersey. After a solid three months, we were close to opening a place in Hoboken, but then Sandy struck and things just never materialized. Then, I took on a new venture, teaming up with Frankie Antipasto and Howie Pizza, operating out of the Lost Brothers food truck in Moonachie for daily lunch service. We didn’t have a bad run there in Moonachie, but after a month, we collectively and officially decided yesterday to close. I thank everyone who visited (especially the Star Ledger who gave my meatballs a glowing review among several others including food journalist Warren Bobrow, blogger Tony Mangia and Cathie Etts Photography.) But overall, the business just wasn’t there to sustain operations and split profits with two other people.
On Thursday, a meatball night at Wicked Wolf Tavern in Hoboken was held during the opening game of the “March Madness” tournament. It was a fun gig, and I hope to return there and also do similar type events more often.
Last summer, I parted ways with a former business associate who was helping me run “Johnny Meatballs On A Roll – The World’s First Mobile Meatball Cart” with me. Rather than get that cart back out there, I made a decision to purchase a brand new one, which has striking similarities to the original. The difference being, it’s now all mine. I must admit, it’s a liberating thing but also a scary thing. Going into my fifth year now as Johnny Meatballs, I am now totally independent, no more partners, just me and my cart.
That does not mean I still won’t be teaming up with Frankie Antipasto on events or that I won’t be counting on my wife to help me when it’s needed. But the bottom line is, it’s all up to me, Johnny DeCarlo, to finally take Johnny Meatballs to the next level, on my own. They say if you aren’t where you want to be in your business going into your fifth year, you may have to consider hanging it up for good. It’s been a long road of ups and downs…going back to 2009 when this whole thing started – spun out of my Bonnie & Clyde Catering Service – when I had my first gravy & meatball throwdown in Philly. Then came the filming of “My Big Friggin’ Wedding” and the wild ride that came after. At this point and time, my destiny is in my own hands, and I feel in my heart of hearts that this spring and summer is going to be something special.
The new wagon (“The Johnny Meatballs Catering Cart,” aka: “JM 1-A”) is currently being painted and decals will then be applied. No more red, it will be black and gold – those are my colors and I can’t wait to unveil it to you all. The cart will be hitched onto my Johnny Meatballs box truck and I will travel with it to all the local farmers markets, festivals and street fairs. I already booked my first private catering event in June for the Palisades Amusement Park Museum.
My first public festival will be in Haworth for the Woman’s Club Annual Flea Market in May. This is an event I have done for the past two years and I enjoy it very much.
So for the next six months, I am going back to my roots and hitting the streets. It’s gonna be a whole new experience and I plan to be very busy with my best meatballs ever, ready to do my thing for all my loyal fans and friends. Only God knows what will happen when fall and winter rolls around, but I will say this…I am going to do the best I can for my family and work hard to make 2013 the summer of Johnny Meatballs!
March is over, Easter is this coming Sunday and “rebirth” begins. It’s very fitting that this is also a rebirth for Johnny Meatballs as well. Every year right around November (with the exception of my final event of the year – the Closter Christmas toy drive), my “feast season” ends and I scramble to find new ways to sell my meatballs. A few years ago, I focused on my retail operation, last year I subletted a bagel store at night and sold them out of there for a short period…
This past winter, I began an exhaustive search for my own Johnny Meatballs Café, which took me all over North Jersey. After a solid three months, we were close to opening a place in Hoboken, but then Sandy struck and things just never materialized. Then, I took on a new venture, teaming up with Frankie Antipasto and Howie Pizza, operating out of the Lost Brothers food truck in Moonachie for daily lunch service. We didn’t have a bad run there in Moonachie, but after a month, we collectively and officially decided yesterday to close. I thank everyone who visited (especially the Star Ledger who gave my meatballs a glowing review among several others including food journalist Warren Bobrow, blogger Tony Mangia and Cathie Etts Photography.) But overall, the business just wasn’t there to sustain operations and split profits with two other people.
On Thursday, a meatball night at Wicked Wolf Tavern in Hoboken was held during the opening game of the “March Madness” tournament. It was a fun gig, and I hope to return there and also do similar type events more often.
Last summer, I parted ways with a former business associate who was helping me run “Johnny Meatballs On A Roll – The World’s First Mobile Meatball Cart” with me. Rather than get that cart back out there, I made a decision to purchase a brand new one, which has striking similarities to the original. The difference being, it’s now all mine. I must admit, it’s a liberating thing but also a scary thing. Going into my fifth year now as Johnny Meatballs, I am now totally independent, no more partners, just me and my cart.
That does not mean I still won’t be teaming up with Frankie Antipasto on events or that I won’t be counting on my wife to help me when it’s needed. But the bottom line is, it’s all up to me, Johnny DeCarlo, to finally take Johnny Meatballs to the next level, on my own. They say if you aren’t where you want to be in your business going into your fifth year, you may have to consider hanging it up for good. It’s been a long road of ups and downs…going back to 2009 when this whole thing started – spun out of my Bonnie & Clyde Catering Service – when I had my first gravy & meatball throwdown in Philly. Then came the filming of “My Big Friggin’ Wedding” and the wild ride that came after. At this point and time, my destiny is in my own hands, and I feel in my heart of hearts that this spring and summer is going to be something special.
The new wagon (“The Johnny Meatballs Catering Cart,” aka: “JM 1-A”) is currently being painted and decals will then be applied. No more red, it will be black and gold – those are my colors and I can’t wait to unveil it to you all. The cart will be hitched onto my Johnny Meatballs box truck and I will travel with it to all the local farmers markets, festivals and street fairs. I already booked my first private catering event in June for the Palisades Amusement Park Museum.
My first public festival will be in Haworth for the Woman’s Club Annual Flea Market in May. This is an event I have done for the past two years and I enjoy it very much.
So for the next six months, I am going back to my roots and hitting the streets. It’s gonna be a whole new experience and I plan to be very busy with my best meatballs ever, ready to do my thing for all my loyal fans and friends. Only God knows what will happen when fall and winter rolls around, but I will say this…I am going to do the best I can for my family and work hard to make 2013 the summer of Johnny Meatballs!
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Man cannot live on meatballs
Man cannot live on meatballs alone.
'food for thought'
“Johnny Meatballs”, What’s in a name? Marketing people emphasize the importance of a company name. Names like “Johnny Meatballs”, “Frankie Antipasto” and “Howie Pizza” may not convey a sense of serious company. They have a comical effect. Which defeats the obvious seriousness of the cooking and food you want to sell. Also, as was recently commented in i-Italy, some Italians may find it offensive. Also, you don’t seem to have a clear vision of where you want to take your company beyond ‘selling a lot of meatballs’. No sense of location or physical plant (neighborhood storefront, mall restaurant, catering service, deli, etc.). Also, you want to sell merchandise. Also, I get the sense that you might want to be a media personality. I recall you writing that you auditioned for “Jersey Shore”. Many of your blogs are clearly modeled after food shows like Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”. And your “Johnny Meatballs Re-Launch: 2013" was very a “Jersey Shore” character like presentation. It may be too thick. Buddy Valastro of The “Cake Boss” show plays up the New Jersey Italian American, but not so dramatically. In short, your company name and persona may be working against what ‘looks’ like very good food. And, one can’t achieve a goal if there is a lack of clear goal to be achieved (type of food operation, media show, merchandizing, etc.). Having said all that: I ain’t no business person… just some ‘food for thought’ (pun intended).