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Gustavo’s Market: Takeout with taste |
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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Wednesday, 09 August 2006 |
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 Shana Judd, 32, of Fort Collins had her fill of fast-food. Tossing burgers and fries behind her, Judd opened Gustavo’s Market, offering gourmet take-home cuisine.
 “Everyone I talked to was pretty sick of the take-out options already available,” she said. “It was one of those things where I thought I could do it better, so why not?”
After graduating from Colorado State University, Judd returned to New York, where she was born and raised, to attend the Culinary Institute of America.
 Growing up in New York, Judd was exposed to tons of fabulous food. When she decided to open her own gourmet take-out restaurant, Judd gathered several family recipes.
“It’s kind of always been something I was going to do,” she said. “In terms of the name, it came from my father. He was like, ‘You should name it after me.’ ”
 In a way, Gustavo’s Market is Judd’s family incarnation of a restaurant, she said.
Gustavo’s Market will celebrate its year anniversary on Aug. 12. So far, business has been good and Judd has gained some loyal customers.
Instead of picking up a Big Mac, people can bring home hearty dishes like grilled salmon with roasted red pepper butter, spinach lasagna, chicken marsala or ribs with homemade sweet onion barbecue sauce.
Though it may cost a couple more dollars, Judd tries to stay budget conscious.
“You can come in and easily spend $30 per person, but can also get a meal for $10,” she said. “It’s definitely cheaper than going to a restaurant.”
The menu changes seasonally because some meals are better in the winter and some are better in the summer. Gustavo’s also has a happy hour during the week, serving beer and wine so people can decompress from their day.
Judd said she delivers within a one mile radius of the restaurant at 2567 S. Shields St., Suite 4D, for free and will deliver anywhere in town for a small charge. Her focus is offering quality food.
“It’s not going to taste like cardboard,” she said. “Essentially, I take this food home, too.”
VITAL STATS
Name: Shana Judd, 32
Company: Gustavo’s Market, Fort Collins
Title: Owner
How long have you worked there? A year on Aug. 12
__________
IN HER WORDS
What is it about this job that makes it challenging?
The marketing because it’s not anything I have any idea about. It’s definitely one of those alien topics to me. I constantly feel like I’m listening to a foreign language.
Makes you get out of bed in the morning?
My customers. They make it all worth while when they appreciate what I’m doing and come back time and time again.
Things that impress you?
A willingness to learn and a general respect for other people and other people’s ideas.
Things that don’t.
A general arrogance and kinda know-it-allness. We are all experts at something, but I don’t think you need to let people feel little just because you know what you are talking about.
How do young/new employees get ahead?
Any way they can make my life easier will put them in good graces.
Did you ever think in a million years you’d work here?
Yeah definitely. I just hope in a million years I’ll still be working here.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you do?
I would probably be having tons of babies and making them eat. I would be feeding them instead of everyone else.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done while at work?
Go to work for somebody else.
Smartest?
Go to work for myself. Become self-employed.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever done to make money?
Considering I’ve only done stuff like this, the most unusual thing I did was when I was 7 or 8 and had a full-service lemonade stand with my brother. We catered to all the neighborhood kids. It was a pretty intense operation.
Any interesting anecdotes?
My favorite food quote by the famous chef James Beard is, “A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch.”
What’s the one thing you wish you could do on the job that you can’t right now?
Go on a culinary expedition to recharge my creative juices. Soon though.
What do you do during your breaks?
I don’t get them. I wish I did, but I don’t. I probably wouldn’t take them even if I did get them.
What’s one thing about your job you would do, even if you weren’t paid to do it?
I would always love to cook, no matter what, and eat.
Name one thing in your life that really prepared you for your job.
I would say my parents.
What’s the biggest payoff in your job?
The sense of accomplishment. On a daily basis, I like to take it all in.
Are you the boss? Do you think you should be?
Yes and yes.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I like to go out to eat, read and catch up on missed sleep.
Pets?
I have two dogs. One is a German short haired pointer/ rottweiler named Sadie and the other is a black lab mix from the pound. I think she’s part elephant. Her name is Adobe.
Family?
My parents, husband Rob and one brother Gerry.
Favorite TV shows?
I’m kind of addicted to “Law in Order,” like the rest of America, and I like “Hells Kitchen.” It reminds me of why I don’t work in a restaurant.
Movies?
My all time favorite movies are “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “The Usual Suspects.”
Books?
“Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger.
What Web sites do you have bookmarked?
www.epicurious.com and www.kayak.com
Where do you play?
Since I’ve started this, I haven’t played at all.
Go out to eat?
In town I’d have to say Suehiro Japanese Restaurant and a great little Italian restaurant called Little Nick’s.
Favorite spot?
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