Scott and Ted's Excellent Adventure

Like a lot of people who work in restaurants, Ted Vadella and Scott Makohn would shoot pool after their shifts and talk of some day having a restaurant of their own. But, unlike most, they made “some day” happen. They launched Shakespeare’s Pub.
Ted and Scott believed that a customer-focused, hands-on approach would be successful, and they’ve stayed true to that belief. Their dedication paid off when they recently celebrated five years at the Kalamazoo Avenue hangout.
Ted and Scott are young guys who recognized the basic fundamentals of running a successful restaurant and made those fundamentals part of their business. “We want to create a comfortable atmosphere, where people can hang out and not feel rushed,” Ted brought up when describing the tenor of the restaurant. He also attributes a strong owner presence as the key to keeping the restaurant running smoothly. “If you want it to work, you have to be a part of it,” he noted.
Their personal touch, they feel, helps distinguish Shakespeare’s from many competitors. “We need to talk with the customers and feel the pulse of the business,” says Ted. The owners have thrown in free wireless, which draws fantasy footballers on Sundays who can enjoy any of their 31 draft beers in front of the big screens, while keeping tabs on their teams on their laptops all day.
While the atmosphere is fun and inviting, Ted and Scott put a lot of their personal attention to the menu, which ranges from vegetarian sandwiches and salads to nachos and a popular deep-dish pizza.
And why open your own restaurant if you can’t have fun with it? Case in point: St. Patrick’s Day. A few years ago, they decided to open up the doors a little early, serve a little breakfast, and fire up a band. When they opened the doors, there were almost a hundred people waiting to get in. On the most recent St. Patrick’s Day, the line was around the building. It has become THE place to be on the Irish holiday, and the mere mention of it to Ted will get him enthusiastically hyping it up.
Looking back over the first five yeas, Ted and Scott feel good about what they’ve accomplished, and they’re sticking with their hands-on approach as they look to the future.