Smitty’s on the Corner in St. Charles ‘family owned and operated up and down’

ST. CHARLES – Everything about Smitty’s on the Corner shouts family.

Even the way the customers are welcomed – not only can they order any type of sandwich they want from the shop, but they also are served by employees who strive to make them feel at home upon walking through the door.

In fact, that sense of family also should be taken in a literal sense.

The shop, located at 15 E. Main St. in St. Charles, is owned by Steve “Smitty” and Ann Smith, whose children Anneka and Cole also work at the shop around their school schedules. The shop is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

“We’re family owned and operated up and down,” Ann Smith said. “Our children have grown up with this business, and in February we will have been in business for 16 years. Everyone kind of has that family feel when walking in. We’ve seen the community grow up with our children, so we have that sort of bond between us and the community.”

Smitty’s on the Corner opened after Steve and Ann Smith were searching for a business opportunity while living in Arizona. At the time, the couple had family members living near the St. Charles area. Once contacted by family about the availability at 15 E. Main St. in St. Charles and then locking down the lease, Steve and Ann Smith sold their house in Arizona and headed for St. Charles.

The relationships built since their arrival could not be better, Ann Smith said, noting that one thing that the business has focused on since Day 1 is that “lost idea of top priority customer service” that is rarely seen with bigger branches or companies.

The couple has wanted to keep it simple from the beginning – coming in without either one having any restaurant experience, but both having come from working in customer service.

“We have people come in that don’t even have to order,” Ann Smith said. “We have one man that comes in and doesn’t even say a word. One time I asked him, ‘Do you want what you usually get?’ And he responded, ‘If I wanted something else, I’d go somewhere else.’ So, I think building relationships and bonds like that, especially with the longevity of being here so long, has really helped this business become what it is today.”

Ann Smith said another thing that sets the shop apart is the “ability to order exactly what you want.” The couple felt upon starting the business that most people settle for whatever is on the menu at certain places, but both wanted to emphasize that whatever the customer wants, the customer gets at Smitty’s on the Corner.

Another way the business has been able to connect with the community is through delivery. Although the primary delivery hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., both Steve and Ann Smith often are at the shop throughout the day and sometimes hand deliver the sandwiches themselves.

The top-selling sandwich at Smitty’s looks to be the Turkey Berry, which comes with turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, red onion and a mayonnaise-cranberry sauce on fresh cracked wheat bread. Ann Smith said it nearly “outsells every product 2-to-1.”

In addition, all four members of the family have items on the menu named after them.

There is the Smitty’s Special (turkey, honey ham, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard on fresh-baked sourdough bread); Ann’s Favorite (turkey, havarti cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on a croissant); the Coley O’Smith (lean corned beef, Swiss cheese, cole slaw, tomato and Russian dressing on fresh rye bread); and – on the grill – the Anneka (turkey, honey ham, Swiss cheese, tomato and Grey Poupon on fresh cracked wheat bread).

Soups, salads, snacks and ice cream also are offered on the menu.

The Smith family ensures its customers not only quality service, but also quality products. Smitty’s on the Corner could be viewed as a mom-and-pop shop, as Ann Smith said with a laugh, but calling it that would leave out the children – and the business is just as much a part of their lives as the parents.’