Mister C's

Mister C's Steakhouse

Mister C's front entrance on N. 30th St.
Restaurant information
Established 1953
Current owner(s) Yano and Mary Caniglia
Food type Southern Italian
Street address 5319 North 30th Street
City Omaha
State Nebraska
Postal code/ZIP 68111
Country USA
Other information Closed in 2007
Website link

Mister C's Steak House was a landmark Italian restaurant located at 5319 North 30th Street in North Omaha, Nebraska. After operating for almost 55 years, the restaurant closed September 30, 2007. The mayor of Omaha and Omaha City Council declared September 18, 2007, "Mister C and Mary Caniglia Day" in honor of the owners' service to the city through the restaurant. The North Omaha Commercial Club also honored them.[1]

History

1953 Royal Boy Drive In

Sebastiano "Yano" Caniglia's family came to Little Italy, south of downtown Omaha, Nebraska, from Carlentini, Sicily in the early 1900s. In 1946, after working in the family bakery for several years, Caniglia pooled his money together with his four brothers to transform the family bakery business into Caniglia's Pizzeria. In 1953 Sebastiano Caniglia left the family business to buy a drive-in in North Omaha. It was called Caniglia's Royal Boy Drive-In, but Caniglia started adding sit-down seating in the 1950s and closed the drive-in portion in 1970. In 1971 he renamed the restaurant "Mister C's", which became his nickname, too. It was always a family partnership, with his wife Mary and their children, Larry, Tom, and David who all worked in the restaurant at one time.

The other Caniglia brothers went on to open several successful restaurants, as well. Ventures included a range of styles and price points, from the Palazzo Italiano at 84th and West Center, Lou Caniglia’s Steak House & Little Luigi’s Tower of Pizza at 88th and Maple, to "The Top of The World" at the Woodmen Tower and Piccolo Pete’s Restaurant on South 20th Street. In 1988 Mister C's was cited by an industry magazine as one of the USA's leading independent restaurants within its income bracket of $6 to $7 million in annual sales.[2]

The restaurant and its owners were widely regarded as important contributors to the local community; it was a gathering place for students and their families from Omaha North High School, a place of weddings and parties. Mary Caniglia said that Mister C's would close in the fall of 2007, and that she and her husband would retire then.[3]

Food and Environment

Described as a "required place to visit" in Omaha by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram,[4] the restaurant was regarded highly for its Italian cuisine and ambiance.[5] Features of the restaurant included holiday lights throughout the main dining area, a 3-D panorama featuring local notables and the Piazza di Maria an outdoor Italian themed courtyard.[6] Many items were made available for public purchase before the building would be razed. The building and property still sit awaiting a buyer.[7]

Current

Mister C's spaghetti sauce 33 ounces
Mister C's Italian Dressing, 16 ounce

From 1988 to present Mister C's has produced its famous spaghetti sauce and Italian dressing, dba Mister C’s Wholesale Foods Incorporated. The products are available in most food outlets in Omaha, Nebraska. The sauce and dressing can also be found throughout Nebraska and Iowa. Walmart currently carries Mister C’s Spaghetti Sauce throughout Nebraska and Iowa.

Other Walmart locations that carry Mister C’s Sauce are:

Yankton and Vermillion South Dakota

Sterling and Fort Morgan Colorado

Moberly Missouri

In Kansas: Atchison, Colby, Concordia, Dodge City, Goodland, Great Bend, Hays, Lawrence and Liberal

See also

References

  1. ↑ Aksamit, N. "Mister C's prepares to close its doors," Omaha World-Herald. September 25, 2007. Retrieved 8/16/08.
  2. ↑ "The nation's leading top-volume independent restaurants," Nation's Restaurant News. January 25, 1988.
  3. ↑ Kelly, M. (2006) "Mister C's Will Close Its Doors Next Year." Omaha World-Herald Friday, 24 November 2006.
  4. ↑ Herrin, R. "Postcard from the road," Fort Worth Star-Telegram. June 27, 2005. Retrieved 8/16/08.
  5. ↑ "Mister C's", Gastronomic Fight Club. Retrieved 8/16/08.
  6. ↑ "Preserving the Sights of Mr. C's", WOWT. Retrieved 8/16/08.
  7. ↑ Aksamit, N. "Dining Notes: Piece of Mister C's is yours for a price," Omaha World-Herald. September 21, 2007. Retrieved 8/16/08.

Coordinates: 41°18′27″N 95°57′22″W / 41.30750°N 95.95611°W / 41.30750; -95.95611

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