Born and raised in Bartlett and in one of the first graduating classes of Bartlett High School, Mike Mack has decided to follow his dream in his hometown.

At 15, Mack began his first job as a pizza maker as part of a family who taught him a strong work ethic. Now, 10 years later, Mack has opened his own comfort food restaurant called Chubby’s.
Neither a bad economy nor hard work is going to block his determination to be a successful business owner.

Why did you decide to open a restaurant when so many others are closing?

 I see the poor economy as a business edge for my restaurant. We sell comfort food, old favorites and new, that taste great and fill you up. Americans still come home hungry and tired and don’t feel like cooking or thawing out a TV dinner. They have also gotten used to eating out. The difference now is that they are watching their budgets. Chubby’s is priced right for the foods people crave. Plus, when the opportunity came up to buy this business, I knew that I had to take it and follow my dream.

What distinguishes your resttaurant from others?

After 10 years of cooking with my mother, who cooks from scratch with many items from her own garden, plus working at restaurants in every job from cooking to serving customers, I believe I understand what people want and believe that I can give it to them. They want the best ingredients and fast service with that fresh-made, full-flavored taste. People also want to be treated with friendliness and respect. We welcome everyone with a smile and friendly conversation.

Are you worried about the risks of running a business?

We are fully aware of the risks and will make the sacrifices necessary. My partner, Rocco Cervone, and I share the same ambition and commitment to make this business a success. ... We are each working 90 to 100 hours a week with no employees. For now, we are not even paying ourselves. Every penny we earn is going into the bank to serve as our buffer to protect the business.
 
What are your plans?

Because we feature Chicago-style hot dogs, we’re developing a Windy City decor with checkered taxi cab details to emphasize that we now offer delivery. The menu is diverse, with everything from burgers to Italian beef, but we are adding new things. The “horseshoe” is a very popular sandwich in the South and is gaining popularity here. We call it the BFC and it is a juicy hamburger loaded with fries covered with melted cheese in a bun. It is also our dream to eventually add pizza to our menu and make it the best in Bartlett. After all, we both started out as pizza makers.