Ingredients for Success: Serving Gourmet Pizza and Martinis
“I’ve always tried to listen to my heart,” says Jennifer Stark, co-owner of Amici’s Pizza and the Living Room in Berkley, Michigan. “The whole idea of sitting in a cubicle or at a desk in general has always frightened me.” For those who share this debilitating fear of makeshift beige walls sucking up the irreplaceable moments of our lives, there is still hope. Stark and her partner, Maureen McNamara, spent years searching for the best way to live life on their own terms. From waitressing to advertising, broadcast production to massage therapy, Detroit, Michigan to Milan, Italy, these women have never ceased chasing their dreams to lead full and satisfying lives. After reconnecting at their 20-year high school reunion in 2000, Jennifer and Maureen discovered in each other the ideal partner—professionally and romantically—with whom they could realize the good life and professional success, while still giving back to the community. Stark and McNamara were friends throughout high school and they joke: “Never underestimate the value of a bond built over a smoke in a high- school stairwell.”
By the time that fateful day came in 2000, both women had traveled around the world and held successful careers in advertising and production for major companies such as Atlantic Records. So why the big change? Jennifer remembers her aha moment vividly: “I was managing an artist at Columbia records and she got pregnant, completely flipping my schedule upside down. I realized I can’t hang myself on someone else’s agenda.”
The timing couldn’t have been better to embrace autonomy. In 2005, Stark’s brother, George, was looking to sell Amici’s Pizza and the Living Room, a business he started in 1993. The couple jumped on the opportunity. And over the last three years, Stark and McNamara, an openly gay couple, have made Amici’s their own, creating an atmosphere where people from all walks of life feel comfortable. All patrons agree there is a personal and human element at Amici’s that creates a wonderful dining experience.
Simply put, Jennifer advises all aspiring restaurant owners: “If you don’t like people, don’t go into the restaurant business.” From offering gluten-free crust to searching for new and delicious pizza and martini ideas (they have over 60 martinis) to being the first “Green” restaurant in Southeast Michigan designated by the Green Restaurant Association, Amici’s has become a recipe for success. In three short years, the awards are piling up and include: “City’s Best Martini Bar” by the Detroit Free Press, “City’s Best Pizza” by AOL City Guide and the one Jennifer and Maureen are most proud of, the Berkley, Michigan Business of the Year award.
Amazingly enough, Maureen comments, “We do not spend a dollar on advertising. Our vision is being realized solely on word-of-mouth recommendations. We have people drive from all over Michigan to eat here.” While much of this seems glamorous, running an independent restaurant is hard work. The business keeps both women on call seven days a week; a day rarely goes by without working on the business. They remember when their walk-in refrigerator broke and multiple layers of ice put their entire food inventory at risk. Jennifer and Maureen were standing on boxes with hair dryers for hours melting the ice. When asked to give one more piece of advice to those looking to break into the business, these entrepreneurs said: “We didn’t realize how long the loan from the bank was going to take… there was an excessive amount of waiting. If you have the ability, buy the building you are occupying and lease it to yourself.”
Like any great partnership in life or the workplace, Jennifer and Maureen complement each other well. Maureen manages the customers and loves to work out on the floor, where Jennifer’s focus lies behind the scenes where she can use her business and general management skills. Their overall vision for Amici’s is, “to be a green meeting spot in the community with good food and good drinks…a small and intimate place with no smoking or television.”
Jennifer and Maureen hope to open two to three more locations in the near future and replicate the positive impact they have had on the city of Detroit. Whichever path is chosen, Amici’s Pizza and the Living Room stands as a testament to the idea that doing the right thing and following your heart can lead to personal and professional fulfillment outside of the cubicle, not to mention leaving your stomach deliciously satisfied.
By the time that fateful day came in 2000, both women had traveled around the world and held successful careers in advertising and production for major companies such as Atlantic Records. So why the big change? Jennifer remembers her aha moment vividly: “I was managing an artist at Columbia records and she got pregnant, completely flipping my schedule upside down. I realized I can’t hang myself on someone else’s agenda.”
The timing couldn’t have been better to embrace autonomy. In 2005, Stark’s brother, George, was looking to sell Amici’s Pizza and the Living Room, a business he started in 1993. The couple jumped on the opportunity. And over the last three years, Stark and McNamara, an openly gay couple, have made Amici’s their own, creating an atmosphere where people from all walks of life feel comfortable. All patrons agree there is a personal and human element at Amici’s that creates a wonderful dining experience.
Simply put, Jennifer advises all aspiring restaurant owners: “If you don’t like people, don’t go into the restaurant business.” From offering gluten-free crust to searching for new and delicious pizza and martini ideas (they have over 60 martinis) to being the first “Green” restaurant in Southeast Michigan designated by the Green Restaurant Association, Amici’s has become a recipe for success. In three short years, the awards are piling up and include: “City’s Best Martini Bar” by the Detroit Free Press, “City’s Best Pizza” by AOL City Guide and the one Jennifer and Maureen are most proud of, the Berkley, Michigan Business of the Year award.
Amazingly enough, Maureen comments, “We do not spend a dollar on advertising. Our vision is being realized solely on word-of-mouth recommendations. We have people drive from all over Michigan to eat here.” While much of this seems glamorous, running an independent restaurant is hard work. The business keeps both women on call seven days a week; a day rarely goes by without working on the business. They remember when their walk-in refrigerator broke and multiple layers of ice put their entire food inventory at risk. Jennifer and Maureen were standing on boxes with hair dryers for hours melting the ice. When asked to give one more piece of advice to those looking to break into the business, these entrepreneurs said: “We didn’t realize how long the loan from the bank was going to take… there was an excessive amount of waiting. If you have the ability, buy the building you are occupying and lease it to yourself.”
Like any great partnership in life or the workplace, Jennifer and Maureen complement each other well. Maureen manages the customers and loves to work out on the floor, where Jennifer’s focus lies behind the scenes where she can use her business and general management skills. Their overall vision for Amici’s is, “to be a green meeting spot in the community with good food and good drinks…a small and intimate place with no smoking or television.”
Jennifer and Maureen hope to open two to three more locations in the near future and replicate the positive impact they have had on the city of Detroit. Whichever path is chosen, Amici’s Pizza and the Living Room stands as a testament to the idea that doing the right thing and following your heart can lead to personal and professional fulfillment outside of the cubicle, not to mention leaving your stomach deliciously satisfied.
