Conversations with Jim DeMaio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim DeMaio.

Hi Jim, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
SurfWiches started as a fluke, a lucky situation. As the primary owner, chef, and creator, I started this with a friend, and for friends. Our initial idea was to hang out at the beach and make some sandwiches for fun. Almost immediately, it was a huge success. The idea of hanging out for fun was long gone. Rush and service, and setting up for excellence daily is all we do. I create these sandwiches as they were served to me and I ate as a child growing up in Delaware County and the surrounding area. I was an executive chef for many years with some big companies and hotels, and I decided I wanted nothing to do with overhead plates, dishes, and glasses. I wanted to do some food with my friend, so we came up with the sandwich menu. When I first moved here, the surfers and their “muse” influenced me. The name SurfWiches, half surfboard, half sandwich, came from the Jacksonville Beach area and living here. My friend and partner has departed the business. I’m alone, working with short staff. Everything was really nice until COVID came along, and since then, it’s been the same terrible situation that we live in. No help, and all expenses have more than doubled. Restaurants that have been in business for 50 years are going out of business left and right.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Too many to list rent has tripled insurance has tripled salary and labels have tripled just to exist in the environment cost wise paper bags used to be 40 they’re $100 now…

Every so often a customer will Express their thoughts on how much the food cost $15.95 1695 with tax comes about $18 it’s just too easy to round it off at 20 and they say to themselves you got to be kidding $20 for a sandwich…. well our food you get two or three meals out of one item depending on your appetite and the highest quality everything you can get and it should cost about 50% more just to make ends meet….

We are a cafe style sandwich shop customers come in and want restaurant service Steak and Hoagie shops never had dining room historically nor plates or any type of service whatsoever it’s a get it and go environment unfortunately lack of staff and all that that’s what we work right now get it and go environment there’s a kiosk the place the orders we can barely have time to answer the phone and we’re two people all day long doing the work of four or five

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Success is quality and consistency meeting the customers expectations time and time again regardless of situations year and year out day in Day Out don’t get ahead of yourself in the world of this restaurant they know what they want and they expected you fail and you have failed successes for filling their dietary fantasies as they rise

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Extensive Culinary experience.

Pricing:

• 16.95

Contact Info:

• Website: https://surfwiches.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surfwichessandwichshop/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SurfwichesPenmanRd/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1mvXo25DeGLEm8YQNB9Ng/featured%2522%2520target%3D%2522_blank
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/surfwiches-jacksonville-beach