Former Arizona residents Tad Moore and his wife, Erin, knew they wanted to move to Santa Cruz after falling in love with the area during their son’s college tour. Respectively a realtor and mortgage lender by trade, they also possess a deep love for food and had owning a restaurant to follow that passion in the back of their minds for years. They were able to dovetail both their dreams into one reality recently when they moved here and became owners of Chunk’s Sandwiches.
Tad says he loves sandwiches and the inherent creativity that comes with them, having free rein to do whatever he wants so long as it ends up between two slices of bread. Open every day from 10am-6pm, they do mostly take-out business with limited on-site seating. Tad says all the sandwiches are sub-style and made to order—his personal favorite has turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese and pesto mayo. The Drayton is a new and unique addition to the menu, combining grilled chicken, ham, pineapple and red onion, and they also have a crowd-pleasing Philly cheesesteak. A straightforward grilled cheeseburger with all the fixings rounds out the sandwich offerings, and they also have salads and made-from-scratch soups, like lentil and New England clam chowder.
How does your real estate background help at Chunk’s?
TAD MOORE: The biggest overlap is the people. Both industries are essentially about making people happy, whether it’s a $15 sandwich or a million-dollar home. There’s nothing more satisfying than guests enjoying our food and telling us they plan on returning, and having a real estate client refer a friend or come back themselves is just as meaningful. Whether it’s sandwiches or real estate, it’s all about building community.
How have the first six months of business gone?
It’s been somewhat chaotic, but absolutely exciting. The store is named after our dog, Chunk, and the response to that and our logo with his picture has been incredible, especially from dog people. There is definitely a lot to do, and we are learning what works and what doesn’t. It’s been a fun process getting feedback from our guests and coming to understand an industry that’s constantly evolving. It’s been rewarding owning a restaurant, and especially seeing all of our behind-the-scenes hard work come to fruition.
3555 Clares Street Suite TT, Capitola, 831-515-7194; chunkssandwiches.com
I look forward to trying one of these sandos!!