Dedication, attention to detail a hallmark of San Joaquin County’s successful local restaurants

Feb. 25-- Feb. 25--Amy Reyes knew opening a restaurant wouldn't be easy.

Ike Victoria knows how tough it can be to own a restaurant, having operated eateries in the past.

But something deep inside, a feeling neither fully could explain, compelled them to open establishments in Stockton.

"Mostly it's because I just wanted to share my love of food and my food," Reyes said. "I get a big kick if I see that you are really enjoying my food. I get a good feeling."

Said Victoria, "I love this work. I can't believe I get paid to do it."

Reyes and her husband, Jesus, opened Reyes Deli & BBQ about one year ago in a shopping center on Hammer Lane west of Interstate 5 in north Stockton. Victoria, who works alongside his 17-year-old son Kian, opened Fork It, a farm-to-fork café, two months ago on Pacific Avenue.

Conventional wisdom says most restaurants don't make it past the first year, but there isn't consensus on the failure rate. American Express claimed in an advertisement that 90 percent close in the first year. Restaurant Startup & Growth magazine commissioned a survey that indicated a 23 percent first-year failure rate. Forbes reported a study by two economists that tracked single-establishment restaurants from 1992-2011 and found 17 percent closed in the first year, a lower rate of failure than other service businesses, such as real estate agents and brokers (21 percent) and landscapers and automotive repair (19 percent).

No matter the numbers, Victoria said restaurants are a risky business and require capital, business acumen, time, talent and energy.

"It's not just open a restaurant," Victoria said. "You have to know the business part. If you don't know the math, the marketing and all of these different things it's not going to work."

George Lucas, who recently sold Yosemite Meat Market and Deli after 28 years, said one factor that played into his success was, "being the face when people walk in. They come in and know you're there and you treat them like family, and the food's always good and always fresh."

Lucas said some restaurants fall into trouble by doing too much too early.

"You have to start from the beginning and build," he said. "It just doesn't happen. It takes a long time to get the respect from your customers, and I think it's something you have to work on every day."

Reyes had no experience running a restaurant but decided to follow her passion after working in the insurance business for two decades.

"For many years I did insurance, but I was so tired of it," she said. "So, instead of opening an agency, I decided, hey, let's go into the business. That's really it. I just gave it a shot because I wanted to do something with my life. I wanted to leave something for my (two) daughters."

Reyes said the restaurant business has been harder than she imagined. She said even her aunt, who has owned a Mexican restaurant for many years in Stockton, didn't fully convey the challenges.

"It's a very tough business," said Reyes, "and the thing is when you go out and have dinner, you don't see what goes on behind the scenes."

Reyes described her menu as "Cali-Mex" and said her dishes reflect the diversity of California and her Mexican heritage. Jesus Reyes, a third-generation meat cutter, slow-cooks meats over a large wood-fire grill just as he did when he operated Reyes Carniceria Deli & BBQ at Alpine Market on California Street.

"Everything is freshly made daily," Amy Reyes said of her restaurant, open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. "Even the onion rings. ... Fresh, that's my label."

Victoria said he fell in love with food and cooking watching his mother work in commercial kitchens.

"I was in awe of her that she was in charge of such big equipment and all this stuff was so huge," Victoria said. "I was like, 'I can't wait.' That's how I got started."

Victoria managed a Pizza Hut when he was 16 years old and worked several years as a private chef. He owned restaurants in Folsom, Weston Ranch (Remo's) and Stockton (Shadow Oaks Steakhouse). Victoria said about a year ago, he discovered a vacancy on the Miracle Mile and put in a bid. Another two dozen entities were interested.

"I went in and put down an offer and it came down to résumé and menu," Victoria said. "Prime location, the Mile. It's doing well so far."

Fork It is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Restaurant ownership, like any small business, takes hard work, dedication and attention to detail. Sometimes, that isn't even enough.

"You have to love this work," Victoria said.

Contact reporter Bob Highfill at (209) 546-8277 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @bobhighfill.

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