We recently connected with Caleb Orozco and have shared our conversation below.

Caleb, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Our mission here at The Last Round Tavern is to “enrich the lives of those we serve through quality fare and attentive care.” Our purpose has always been greater than ourselves. For us to enrich the lives of those we serve truly comes down to our genuine desire to bring a smile to each person who walks through our doors. Of course, it all starts with an exceptional product. From the food, to the atmosphere, to the hospitality, everything is crafted with our guests (and employees) in mind. Where does this desire come from? For me personally, it stems from seeing and feeling the inherent hardships we as humans face. It’s hard to know exactly what someone is going through behind closed doors, so we aim to take care of each person who steps inside our shop by allowing them the time and space to relax, breath and connect back with themselves and loved ones over a shared meal.
As I reflect on this question, I am reminded of all the incredible people that have poured much of their love and support in me and in this endeavor. I recall times of personal struggles and the people who were in my corner, encouraging me, guiding me, rooting for my success. One of those special people was my boxing coach, Mr. Mateen. He served as one of the leaders in my life that gave me the tools required to persevere through hardship. He would tell me, “The last round is the best round. Finish strong.” I have carried this with me since I was a child, and it is something I try to impart on my team and our guests. Whatever hardship you’re facing, give it all you got and come out better on the other side.

Caleb, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Caleb and I am the owner and operator of The Last Round Tavern located in San Jose, CA. I opened up shop in May 2019, just a few months before the pandemic, but I am proud to say we are still growing and serving our community 6 years later.

With no real previous kitchen (or business) experience, I was forced to learn the grit and grind of restaurant life in real time. I read all I could on how to make pizza dough, traveled across the country (several times) to experience what true, premium products tasted like, and spent countless hours cooking, cleaning and whatever else was required to get the shop off the ground.

I owe much of this persistence to the lessons I learned through the sport of boxing. Lucky for me, my father took me to a boxing gym at a very young age, and it was something that guided me throughout my childhood and young adult life. From the countless hours in training to traveling for tournaments, even when I all I wanted to do was quit, I am grateful for all the time I dedicated to the sport. It taught me all the lessons that continue to serve me today as I grow the business.

I’ve been around good food since I was a child. No culinary trained chefs in the family, just folks who had a passion to cook delicious food. My pop especially. His tri-tip sandwiches have been a family favorite since day one. He’s the one who planted the initial seed in me that got me excited to pursue my journey in restaurants/hospitality.

With that being said, our menu is very simple. We specialize in SOURDOUGH tavern style pizza, sandwiches and salads. What sets us apart is the fact that we bake our own sourdough rolls! Our tavern style pizza is also sourdough which makes for a light, crispy pizza that is MUCH easier to digest compared to other pizzerias. We have a 5 seat bar in a dining room that fits 30 people. By keeping our menu intentional, dining room clean and hospitality genuine, we aim to fulfill our mission of “enriching the lives of those we serve through quality care and attentive care.”

Lastly, as I continue to navigate the operations of running a restaurant, I am constantly reminded of the importance of personal development and the impact it has on my business and community as a whole. I am a firm believer that your business will only grow to the extent that you do. It’s not easy, it’s not sexy, but it’s the truth, and for someone who has that nagging feeling of wanting to start something of their own, I urge you, work harder on yourself than you do on your job. The more you work on yourself and sharpen your own skills, the better chance you give yourself in business/relationships.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe my genuine desire to take care of our customers is what has allowed us to build the reputation we have today. It truly comes down to patience, persistence and intentionality. By putting people before profits and actively looking for ways to go above what’s expected from a neighborhood restaurant, word *slowly* spread amongst the community about who we are and how we do things. Granted, we’re not perfect, but whenever we make a mistake, we take accountability for it and address it the best we possibly can. This as well has been a factor in how we’ve built our reputation.

In regards to our physical product, we only use premium ingredients. By using the best we can get our hands on, our guests can TASTE the difference between us and the others. Our job is to do our ingredients justice by maintaining quality from the moment an order is placed to the moment it touches our guest’s mouths. Again, by being intentional in the way we take care of our customers and our product, our reputation will continue to develop as long as we continue doing our job.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

This might go against popular opinion, but for us, the most effective strategy for growing our clientele was by taking care of each person, ONE BY ONE. It wasn’t advertising, it wasn’t social media, it wasn’t brand deals or collaborations. It wasn’t even discounts or giveaways. It has always been our goal to pay special attention to each person as soon as they step foot in our doors. By doing this, our clientele has grown, slowly but surely.

An added bonus of taking this approach is that it has allowed us to work out the kinks as we grow. By being patient and intentional, we have been able to adapt, adjust and reconcile in relativity to our growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lastroundtavern.com
• Instagram: @thelastroundsj @inyourcorner100
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@inyourcorner100
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-last-round-tavern-san-jose-7?osq=The+Last+Round+Tavern

Image Credits

@alexknowbody @thelastroundsj