Shaw Expert REALTOR® Interviews Tony Lucca, Owner of 1905

As a Real Estate Agent specializing in Shaw, and through my website HomesInShaw.com I write a blog which interviews the business proprietors of Shaw.  This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tony Lucca, Owner of Shaw's 1905.  1905 is a European restaurant frequently hosting live jazz.  Below is the interview where Tony speaks about how he got to this point in his life, the joy of running 1905, as well as what he thinks about the community of Shaw. 

 Kevin:  Tony, as a real estate agent specializing in Shaw with Evers and Company, and through my website HomesInShaw.com, I first want to thank you for having the time to sit down today and speak with me about 1905 and the community of Shaw.

Tony:  Kevin, it’s my pleasure.

Kevin:  So how did you get here?

Tony:  Well, I am originally from Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  I grew up in a small Portuguese fishing village on the outer Cape, which is both a fishing town as well as a major tourist attraction.  Growing up in a small tourist town, most kids started working at a young age.  I got my first job when I was 10 at a fruit and produce company that delivered goods to all the area restaurants.  A few years later, I started working on a fishing boat, and after that transitioned to working in restaurants.  I paid my way through high school and college working at restaurants on the Cape and in Boston.  I majored in Finance and Economics, as well as Business Entrepreneurship, and took a liking to real estate.  During college I worked doing real estate investment portfolio management, but transitioned to real estate development when I left college.   That first job is what brought me to DC.  After five years of development, I found myself getting the urge to do something on my own. 

Kevin:  Did you ever think you would want to own your own restaurant?

Tony:  The idea of owning a restaurant kept coming back to me.  Eventually I decided to take a six month leave of absence from my career in real estate to clear my head and focus on the future.  I went back home to the Cape in the dead of winter, which was the perfect reprieve.  I was only on the Cape for two months, during which time I wrote a few business plans, and then got called back to DC for jury duty of all things.  When I came back, it just kind of struck me:  I am going to give owning my own restaurant a shot.  I began networking, trying to figure out what the process entailed, and in June of 2009 I bought 1905.  

Kevin:  So a big change?

Tony:  Now my entire life is centered around 1905.  It’s a constant, vibrant challenge.  We are on 9^th Street, and just because Shaw has grown a lot doesn’t mean 9^th Street is popping yet.  Shaw has had an increase in the amount of foot traffic, and so has 9^th Street, but we aren’t 14^th Street yet.  And to be honest, I’m not sure we should try to be 14^th Street.  We’ve got an incredible thing going on over here.  Beyond being located on a still emerging street, 1905 is also located on the 2^nd floor of a rowhouse, and it’s been a real challenge getting our name out there.

Kevin:   So what was your answer to that challenge?

Tony:  From the beginning of owning 1905, I had dreamed of adding on a rooftop deck, which in DC, is a huge draw.  Every dollar the restaurant has made since 2009 has gone right back into the rooftop deck.  After nearly 3 years of work, the deck just opened in mid-May.

Kevin:  What has the response been like?

Tony:  We are getting great press, a lot of good exposure, and it has become everything I envisioned it would:  a highly successful catalyst.  We used to be a 7:30PM to 10:30PM establishment.  Now we have people pouring in right when we open.  The challenge is:  “How do we maintain 1905’s coziness, accessibility, and its neighborhood feel with the new rush of activity?”  We have stayed in business for three years because of our neighbors and neighborhood.  We cannot lose that.  I am now focused on keeping our long time patrons happy, while also trying to please a whole new clientele.  A rooftop deck can very easily change the environment of a restaurant, and we are watching closely to ensure the rooftop deck is an addition to an already great restaurant, not a paradigm shift away from what people have loved.

Kevin:  1905 is a townhouse situated in a residential neighborhood.  Is it easy to keep the neighbors happy?

Tony:  (laughs) For the most part, yes.  Listen, I am not a guy who feels comfortable when I know people are unhappy with either my own self or my business.  I am always trying to reach out to my neighbors and ensure they are comfortable with the rooftop deck and the rest of the business.  Almost every neighbor is happy, complimentary, and excited to see us growing.

Kevin:  What about the concept?  European restaurant mixed with New Orleans Jazz?  Your idea? Or an idea already instilled?

Tony:  The concept was here before I got here.  Can’t take any credit there.   One really cool thing in addition to the obvious concept is the interior.  Every single thing you see inside of 1905 is handmade.  If it wasn’t handmade it was found at some thrift shop or community yard sale that was converted to fit the space.  The chandelier in the middle of the dining room has countless layers of paint on it to make it look the way it does.  Mick Mier was the original designer and he poured himself into this space, and it shows. 

Kevin:  And the rooftop deck?

Tony:  Everything hand made.  I think the concept has worked out really well.  I wanted it to be an extension of the downstairs, but with its own unique feel.  I always envisioned it being the garden area of this beautifully appointed home.  Keeping the skeleton key and the address as the title of the restaurant maintains the speakeasy concept.

Kevin:  What about the food?

Tony:  Our chef is Matt Richardson.  We are very proud to have him here.   He’s been here for three years.  Matt instantaneously picked up the concept I was pushing for:  simple, accessible home cooked food.  With such a small menu, it’s a challenge to appease everyone, but Matt has done an incredible job.   From the start, Matt understood how the food needed to speak to the space, and he has captured the essence of what we were striving for.  He’s been a huge part of our success.

Kevin:  What type of character does your food present?

Tony:  I hate pretension (Laughs).  Matt agrees.   Nothing here is pretentious.  There are 1,000 food fads running around at any given time, but the one staple that never evades someone’s stomach is well-prepared, simple food.  We don’t want to price gouge our clientele, which is why we do our Neighborhood Appreciation Nights on Tuesday and Wednesday.  We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel either.  We are just cooking really badass food.  

Kevin:  The drinks?

Tony:  Our wine list is eclectic, trying to meet as many palates as possible with a relatively small amount of wine.  My wine reps tell me I have a very general palate that resonates with a wide spectrum of wine tastes, which they say is a good thing.  A sommelier would probably pick my wine list apart, but it has worked out great so far, and I receive positive feedback from our customers.  So I feel confident about the wine.  The beer has gone through a change, especially with the deck.  When I bought 1905 I felt the unfounded pressure to present very unique European beers.  I take full responsibility in admitting this was not the way to go at all (laughs).  People know their beers – they aren’t looking for obscure stuff that nobody has heard of.

Kevin:  Well, it is admirable that you are intelligent enough to admit when you are wrong.  That is the sign of an honest, sincere business owner.  

Tony:  Yeah.  I’m always learning from my mistakes.  We have since revamped our beer list and it’s been working out great.

Kevin:  What about the Jazz?

Tony:  We work with four great jazz bands. They range from acoustic guitar, to bossa nova jazz, to New Orleans gypsy jazz, to French jazz.  We work with Laissez Foure, Matvei Sigalov, The Gene D’Andrea Trio, and Hot Club of DC.

Kevin:  And what about Shaw?

Tony:  I love Shaw.  I moved over to Church Street after my first year in D.C., and now live on Corcoran.  My entire DC life has been entirely Shaw oriented.  Shaw is accessible and livable.  It isn’t pretentious.  It is a compliment when the people of Shaw come to 1905, because the people are so down to earth and committed to our community, that I feel it’s an honor to have them share 1905 with me.