Jeff Manders and son Jake opened Manders 22 in August. The restaurant offers a variety of burgers and subs and also does catering.
Tell us about your business. What is your position and what are your responsibilities?
The business is Manders 22, and we are a fast casual eatery that specializes in Smashburgers, sub sandwiches and spiedies. Spiedies are an Upstate N.Y. delicacy that consists of an amazing marinade from Salamida’s that is marinated for 48 hours and then chargrilled to put on a sub roll.
My son Jake and I are the owners.
What do you like best about what you do?
Putting a quality product out of the kitchen, watching the head nods and smiles on people’s faces when they eat our food. There is nothing more rewarding than that for a restaurant owner.
What is a typical day like for you?
We typically start at 9 a.m., get the chili going, make sure we are fully stocked on all stations, ensure drinks are fully stocked, start our ovens, flat top and char grills, prep for our homemade sauces and prepare all food for consumption. We open at 11 and are always ready to go for our first customers of the day.
Tell us about your background.
I personally worked in corporate America for over 40 years. My experience with P&Ls, leadership and the pressure of getting things done in a short amount of time has more than prepared me for this venture we are doing.
Are you from this area originally, or did you settle here from somewhere else?
I was born in the Bronx, N.Y., and later moved to Binghamton, N.Y., until 1981 when I moved to Florida. I lived in Jacksonville from 1988 to 1996 before transferring to Arizona and eventually came back to the St. Johns County area in 2018.
My wife and myself absolutely love living here as there is so much to do, the weather is great 90% of the time, and we also get to experience the cold parts of the year from around November-February. The main reason we moved back was because of the weather and also the taxes.
What do you like best about living here?
The weather, the beaches and the ability to travel to several really fun places within a few hours.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I enjoy playing poker with friends and the time I get to spend with my wife is priceless. We both have demanding careers and when we have that down time, it’s always peaceful.
