Meet Robin Geraci of The Gladly and Citizen Public House in The Biltmore Area and Old Town Scottsdale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robin Geraci.

Robin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I had my children rather in early in life. I was 18 and 21 when my kids were born. I had been working at a bank and then an attorney’s office. Once I had two kids, my husband and I realized that it would be better for me to stay home. After a short time, it was obvious that we needed a little more income so I went to bartending school. The idea was that I would take the day shift with the kids and he would take the night while I bartended. My first gig in the bartending world was in a local dive bar in a sketch area of town. After night number two, my husband and I agreed that wasn’t the place for me. Off to the golf course I went. I worked some evenings and weekends and eventually landed a few shifts on the beer cart, shelling out icy colds to the golfers as quickly as I could. Once again, this wasn’t a good fit for us because Phoenix is so seasonal.

I then turned to serving at a local bbq and steak house. I figured I could make the most amount of money in the least amount of time away from home. I had never done full service dining before but it was in my blood. My mother was a ‘waitress’. My grandmother was a ‘waitress’ and had taught me to carry an armful of plates at a very young age. Up and down the stairs, I would go to the cops playing poker in the basement. My grandfather was the chief of police and all the guys would come over to pay homage and drink his whiskey. I was rewarded handsomely with tens and twenties for my efforts of bringing sandwiches and cocktails from the kitchen upstairs to the gamblers downstairs. I never forgot that feeling of being rewarded for something so simple.

I took to serving like a fish to water. I excelled at it. Before I knew it I was working in the coveted banquet room handling large groups of 50-100 with ease. As serving jobs are, I moved on after a while to something bigger and better. A new restaurant, the shiny new penny, the grand opening, the inventive new concept restaurant and so on. I finally landed in a place where I was offered management. I stayed there for nearly 10 years.

The next place was fancy. Fine dining. Tuxedos as uniforms, white gloves for some private events and lots and lots of wealthy people all coming to spend their dollars with me. It was easy. It was exciting. It was profitable. All along the way I learned and developed my style of service and hospitality. It was my gift from the universe. I can’t play the violin or sing a tune, but I have the uncanny knack for making people feel welcome in just about any space.

I picked up tricks of the trade at every place I worked, cobbling together a full-blown career in hospitality. All of my experience has led to the pinnacle and finally the place I want to be now.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The restaurant business is a backbiting, jockeying for position, cutthroat sort of business. It is not easy. The hours are long (management), the surfaces are hard on your body (brick and concrete floors), the employees are sometimes the less desirables of society. The guests… oh the guests. They are wonderful, they are awful, they lie, they steal, they complain, they write bad reviews without provocation and only for spite, they always want something for free. And yet, there is always sunshine in my day. A vendor, a sweet old lady, a young child, a kind individual to make it all worth it.

The back of the house vs. the front of the house. It happens in every restaurant. The cooks fight with the servers who fight with the hosts who fight with the busboys who fight with the dishwashers. By the way, those dishwashers are the most valuable employees in the whole place. Being in management is nothing more than being an adult daycare provider. I always had plenty of tissues for the tears and chapstick for the ass-kissing.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Gladly and Citizen Public House – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I have finally found my “home”. I am so happy and proud to be where I’m at now. I’m the Director of Events for In Good Spirits. That is our corporate name. I was hired just over 6 years ago to open their second concept, The Gladly. The first restaurant is called Citizen Public House and it’s located in Old Town Scottsdale. The Gladly is in the Biltmore area of Phoenix. We are a locally owned restaurant group. Our CEO and Executive Chef/Owner are passionate about creative American food with a global influence and hospitality that is second to none. We are cut from the same cloth. Their vision is my vision and I feel right at home knowing that I have all the support I need to effectively do a great job.

The Gladly and Citizen Public House (CPH) are especially known for their Original Chopped Salad and their provocative craft cocktails. The Original Chopped Salad was first developed by Chef Bernie Kantak at Cowboy Ciao about 20 years ago. He was the Executive Chef there for about 12 years before opening CPH in January 2011. He, of course, took that salad with him and it has since really made a name for itself.

It is on the Food Network’s list of Top 11 things to try when visiting Arizona. We sell over 55,000 of them each year between the two restaurants. A local news channel has dubbed it the unofficial Arizona state salad. It has its own Facebook page with 4 times as many “friends” as I have. This salad truly has a cult following. There is a subculture of folks who get so excited when they meet me and find out where I work. They all mention “that salad”.

Additionally, The Gladly has been voted as having the best whisk(e)y wall in the state with nearly 280 selections. We also offer tableside ice balls or spheres for brown spirits. It’s really quite an experience to dine with us.

I handle all the group dining for both The Gladly and Citizen Public House. I think they keep coming back because of the personalized hospitality.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We have a new concept opening in October. Commander Hamburger can be found in The Churchill in downtown Phoenix. It will offer only a handful of menu items, including the Original Chopped Salad. Hopefully, there will be an additional concept soon with some private dining space that I can fill up with happy guests.

Personally, I am kicking around some ideas for party rentals and private venue space.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2201 E. Camelback Road, Suite 108
  Phoenix, AZ 85016
  and
  7111 E. 5th Avenue, Suite E
  Scottsdale, AZ 85251
• Website: www.thegladly.com . www.citizenpublichouse.com
• Phone: 480-708-7180
• Email: r.geraci@igshospitality.com
• Instagram: thegladly citizenpublichouse
• Facebook: @TheGladly @CitizenPublicHouse @theoriginalchoppedsalad

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