This upcoming Sunday is Father’s Day! The day is dedicated to appreciating all the father figures in a person’s life. It is a day to acknowledge all the valuable lessons, laughs, and guidance they have given over the years. Maybe you’re firing up the grill and getting ready for a BBQ, getting ready to golf, or doing whatever dad chooses! With Father’s Day this Sunday, I can’t help but think of two very important men in my life and in our company. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize my father, Robertino Presta, and grandfather, Angelo Caputo.
My father, Robertino, started working at Caputo’s at a very young age. My grandfather hired him because of his strength and work ethic which is apparent from any encounter with him. His efficiency in unloading the trucks as a teenager is a testament to his ability to work hard. He never hesitates to step in during any task. He embraces all challenges, coming up with unique and efficient ways to get past them. No task is too big or too small for him.
He has helped us and the business grow, including taking us to levels that we never thought were imaginable. Each step and new chapter is still based on the foundation instilled in him by my grandparents and constantly re-enforced by my mom.
One of the things I feel most fortunate for is that my father believes in us, sometimes more than we believe in ourselves. He doesn’t make us feel like we cannot handle a situation. He uses his mistakes to encourage us to do the same.
He helps to give us the tools we need to succeed and guides us towards the path of success. I have learned so much from not only my father, but my grandfather too.
Angelo Caputo was not only my grandfather, but an inspiration, another father, and a role model. His absence leaves us with a gaping hole, but we know he is always with us.
My grandfather and our patriarch, Angelo Caputo, has always been one of my biggest inspirations. He was a true testament of a hard working, dedicated man. Our whole business is built on his blood, sweat, and tears.
He led a life of hard work and was the strongest man I knew. He was constantly faced with challenges, but never let anything stand between him and his goal.
He was always there for a story, a lesson, a phone call, or an esspressino date. He took the time to sit with us and pass along important tools and some of his wisdom. From teaching us how to clean up a produce display or telling us stories from his childhood, he was always there for us.
It still feels impossible that he is no longer with us, but his legacy remains a constant in our lives. The many lessons he taught us are beautiful memories that we will cherish and carry with us forever.
What a wonderful tribute!
Very nice tribute to Robertino Presta and Angelo Caputo. Mr. Caputo was a very sweet man. He built a legacy and empire to pass on to his children.
Things have changed at Caputo’s since his passing. While the sales are still great, shopping there for every day items is terribly expensive. Fresh bakery items have shrunk in size, but the prices have increased quite dramatically. I understand pricing goes up, but don’t shrink the product too. I purchased 2 regular cannolis the last time I was there and the entire middle was void of cannoli in both cannolis. Are they just filling the ends now? This was not my first experience with that happening. The prices on your bakery cookies are way overpriced. When is the last time someone looked at the prices of the Kolaches? The fillings are extremely scarce, lot of dough. And while your Italian sausage is the best, the price is too high. I used to ship it out (along with other products from Caputo’s) to my son in Portland, Oregon. Too expensive now.
Seems like since Covid all grocery stores raised their prices, because of the shortage. But, there is no shortage now. Why haven’t they dropped the prices? It’s extremely difficult for people to afford food, gas and utilities prices anymore. Please note: I live an hour from your store in Elgin.
Hi Val, thank you for your kind words. Just so you know, Angelo has not been involved in operations of the store since 1988. He was always involved at the store, but by 88 had passed the operations along to Robertino and Antonella. Cannoli are filled in store, so freshness should never be an issue, but if they were not filled properly, that is definitely something we can address as longa s we are made aware. If you could pass along the store that this happened we can take care of that ASAP. We use real ingredients in all our products– for example we use real, quality butter and not margarine. A lot of factors go on behind the scenes that lead to certain decisions including laws, labor, liability, etc which unfortunately have resulted in a huge part of the issues you are referring to. We appreciate you taking the time to reach out to us and our family is happy to offer more clarity over the phone too if you would like