La Campagunola is a family run authentic Italian restaurant that has been in the same family for over 40 years- but what is their secret as an independent stand in the test of time?
00:00So we're in La Campagnola Restaurant. It's our family business, which we've been here for 45 years. It's this year. Our parents first opened in 1980, the same year I was born, actually. So it's my whole, you know, our whole lifetime for us. Yeah, and it's our pride and joy.
00:23My parents started it in 1980 and me and my sister took over due to certain circumstances about 25 years ago, I'd say. My mother's still got active involvement and, you know, but yeah, we're still, we're still trying to be what we are in an authentic, real Italian family.
00:47You guys have really stood the test of time. A lot of local independents have been opening and closing, which is really sad, but you guys are still here. Why? What's the secret?
01:00I don't know. We're so lucky, you know, there's loads of things, you know, that could have worked out for us, you know, gone our way.
01:09You know, we've got amazing clients and, well, they're customers, friends, you know, and we try to do our best, you know, serving them and giving them the, our experience of Italy, you know, bringing it to them.
01:27And, and yeah, serving them with fresh food that, you know, we'd have at home, you know, we'd want them to experience it too, in a lovely atmosphere, which we try to bring to the customers.
01:39I think it's because we're really hands-on, laid back and we've got a really strong, like regular clientele that have been with us since my parents were here before and their children come in now and, you know, families obviously extended and yeah, we've got really loyal clients out.
02:01Obviously it's not been smooth sailing for anybody. We're kind of coming out of COVID and that was a, for an independent business, that was a really hard time, right?
02:09How has it been coming back from COVID and obviously we're now in a cost-11 crisis, which is another struggle for independent businesses?
02:18Yeah, definitely. Since, you know, it seems like the life after coronavirus, which luckily we managed to survive.
02:28Yeah, we've just been trying to, you know, it's been adapting to, you know, how people's needs are these days and, you know, people, you know, they might want to just come out for a little.
02:39A little respite, a little snack, well, I don't know, something to, you know, break their daily routine.
02:46So we're just here to give them anything that they need really and just try to keep everybody's spirits up and give them a little bit of boost for the day and a pit stop.
