With the boom of new businesses in Port Huron, there has to be a "big brother" to lead the way, and that just might be hometown favorite Casey’s.
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Owner Casey Harris physically built the establishment with his uncle Tom Bergeman in 2005, gutting the old office set-up, doing the plumbing, setting tile, and hammering throughout the summer. He opened the restaurant the next year with 11 staff members and only eight other restaurants nearby. It wasn’t the best time to start a business, but Casey’s has managed not only to stick around, but keep growing every year.
“We had a few years early on during the housing crisis that were tough. We worked hard and made customers happy when they chose us, and over the years we have seen the same faces, and many new ones,” Harris says.
Harris knew that opening his own place wouldn’t be easy. He learned by watching his parents, who owned Greek Tony’s Pizza and Subs in his hometown of Carmel, Ind. Eleven years after opening Casey’s, the hours are grueling, the duties are endless, and hard work is always necessary. After establishing a firm base, one might think business is routine, that maybe Harris could take a step back. But regulars know he still cooks, his main position, and his staff knows if he’s not in the kitchen, he is on the computer taking care of business.
“I don’t know Casey personally, but his restaurant is a reflection to his craft. It makes it that much easier to want to support a local business owner. I can’t recall a time that I have stopped in, and he hasn’t been right there in the kitchen taking care of his patrons,” Yelper Josh Rosenau of Port Huron writes.
Harris does everything from ordering food shipments to cooking, from marketing to banking, and cleaning. When he’s sent a media request, he types back two full pages single-spaced. His wife, Carrie, has been at the restaurant full time since 2014 and runs the floor. Their four children keep them busy when they’re not at work.
“It isn’t easy owning and operating a small business…It doesn’t stop. When I am not there, I’m thinking about it. It’s tough to be away for more than a couple of days,” Harris says.
Before opening the restaurant, Harris’ passion was playing hockey. He played for Ferris State University where he received
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a degree in Graphic Design from the school of business. After college he moved on to play professional minor league ice hockey from 1999 to 2005. While skating for the Indianapolis Ice in 2001, he and his wife got married in Port Huron--a destination between his family in Ontario and Carrie’s in Shelby Township. The owner of the bed and breakfast the couple stayed at following the wedding mentioned selling, so the newlyweds decided on their honeymoon to make an offer on the place. They ran their first business venture, the Hill Estate Bed and Breakfast, during the summer when hockey was in its off-season. Harris had signed with a team in Bakersfield, Calif., but when the Port Huron Beacons were founded in 2002, he decided to make Port Huron his home base instead. The Harrises ran the bed and breakfast for eight years.
The Harrises didn’t know much about the Blue Water region before moving here, but they fell in love with it. When the Beacons made their move to Virginia, Harris wrapped up his hockey career. He knew he wanted to stay in Port Huron, and he missed Greek Tony’s food. Since there were no similar restaurants in Port Huron at the time, it only made sense to start a new business.
“We never thought of owning a business anywhere else other than Port Huron. It is home to us,” Harris says. “When we first moved here, living near the water, it was like we were on vacation every weekend.”
Harris says leading the restaurant’s team now and working and communicating together reminds him of his hockey days.
He mentions his staff over and over again in conversation. The tight-knit crew has grown nearly five times since Casey’s opened its doors, and six of them have been there since day one. Most are in school and expected to work hard like their owner, but do so in an environment where they feel loved and cared for. Casey’s is closed Sundays so they have time with family.
Online reviews almost always mention pleasant service (and delicious garlic, parmesan breadsticks, one of Harris’ favorite menu items).
Harris picks up whatever work he needs to do. He’s not a boss who watches everyone else work. He believes happy workers bring about a willingness to work and a happy environment.
Customer service is Harris’ No. 1 priority, and it couldn’t happen without the staff.
“I am constantly trying to make the restaurant better for our guests and our employees…I strive every day to make the guest experience better than the last time they visited,” he says.
Somehow, Harris finds time for community outreach. You would be hard-pressed to find somebody in the Blue Water area who hasn’t benefited from Harris, whether it be from an impeccable slice of pizza, or enjoying other parts of the downtown area. Harris has been on the Downtown Development Authority for six years, and has helped with a monthly dine to donate program and sponsored sports teams, among them a hockey team that just won its 11th consecutive championship.
Harris has seen the benefits of having a business downtown. He says he gets a good crowd for business lunches and then families for dinner, plus regulars and out-of-towners after events.
“I coach hockey teams from the Detroit area, and whenever we’re in Port Huron, we try to bring the entire team to Casey’s. The kids love it,” Geoffrey Donaldson of Grosse Pointe Farms says.
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Donaldson works in Port Huron and frequently visits Casey’s. As far as food, the variety of beer on tap, cocktails and whiskey selection, and, of course, pizza keeps him coming back. He suggests Carrie’s Cobb Salad (a twist on the original, made with feta cheese), the soups, and the soft pretzel so huge it’s served in a large pizza box. He also likes the atmosphere, especially in the summertime when outdoor seating is open and bocce ball is ready to play.
Harris takes pride in the variety of patrons visiting the restaurant and hopes guests “ages 2 to 90” feel comfortable dining in together.
For businesses new to the area, Harris suggests one thing: advertise. In order for customers to know what a business has to offer, they have to know it exists. The downtown area has grown so much that Casey’s now advertises as far as Rochester, Macomb, and Chesterfield Township.
There are many resources available to help Port Huron businesses. Casey’s was remodeled a year and a half ago, and a new kitchen is in the works to enhance the menu and types of beer. Work is expected to be done by mid-summer. After that, the next project is the addition of a private room for large parties.
Harris has worked with the Economic Development Alliance a few times, and the Community Foundation of St. Clair/Community Capital Club has helped with the kitchen renovation, along with the Gerry Kramer Spartan Fund.
Stop by Casey’s during regular hours for a fresh slice and cold brew Monday-Thursdays 11 a.m. -10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. Casey’s can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and at www.pizzaporthuron.com. It is located at 628 Huron Ave. in Port Huron.