Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Lovick.
Hi Steve, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Our story begins in 1941 when my Grandparents Milton & Eva Lovick borrowed $180 from another small cafe owner in town to start Lovick’s Cafe. Remember this was during the depression, World War II and even before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor! So this was a very tough era in which to get started and much less to survive and still to keep going strong in the same location 85 years later! Through these decades there ware my parents Mac & Marjorie Lovick who worked and operated, there were my siblings Reid Lovick & Susan Lovick Turner who worked and operated for years and now my wife and I are currently operate Steve & Christina Lovick. The years break down is as follows
Milton & Eva–1941-1973
Mac & Marjorie–1948-2009
Reid Lovick–1976-1992
Susan Lovick Turner–1975-2015
Steve & Christina Lovick–1995-current
In the early years all 3 meals were served 6 days a week, originally the cafe seated around 15 folks, as the years went by the walls were knocked down and we took over where businesses were beside us and this increased our capacity. There have been additional expansions over the years and now we seat around 110 and another big change is about 35+% of our business is take-out and we do lots of catering in & out of town. We are now open 5 days a week Tue-Sat 6am-2pm & Sat 6am-11am.
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?
For the most part its been pretty smooth, a few of the hiccups along the way have been tobacco market set backs years ago, big textile companies closing and leaving, just were not a lot of jobs in 90s & early 2000s, economy bust in 2006-2008 and then Covid, but we have managed to survive and keep moving along with lots of changes, upgrades and adjustments during this period.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My career started in 1984 with Piedmont Airlines in Kinston, I moved to Charlotte in 1985 where I was until returning to Kinston to operate the restaurant in 1995, In Charlotte I met my wife Christina and had 2 kids Joshua & Alissa.
Piedmont taught me that Customer Service is the key element to operating a sucessful business. It has been a key factor in our operation with employees & customers. Over the years we have diversified in some other things along with operating our business, bought and operated a Laundramat for 20 years, We have now accrued around 13 properties that we have as Rental Units, so we have stayed busy with this and proud to say we employ 39 folks in our cafe. To say the Lord has been to good to us is an understatement, he has blessed us in many ways.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Well, we are pretty much an open book, so everyone pretty much knows everything about us and most people in the Kinston area know us. We have for the most part always strived to be a spot for Everyone to come in relax, enjoy and make friends, as we have always said all of us in this community and surrounding areas are all just one big happy family! Everyone included!!
Come visit us for Breakfast or Lunch!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lovickscafe.com
- Facebook: Lovicks Cafe
- Yelp: Lovicks Cafe
