After news of a potential sale last month, it’s now official: Wright’s Gourmet House has been sold to Caspers Company, the Tampa restaurant group run by brother and sister duo Blake Casper and Allison Casper Adams.
Fans of the popular restaurant’s sandwiches and cakes can rest easy: The menu won’t change.
The spot was opened in 1963 in South Tampa by Marjorie and Pete Wright. In 1981, Marjorie’s grandson Jeff Mount bought the restaurant and has run it since then.
During a phone interview, Mount, who is 64, said he had been considering retirement since early 2020, but the pandemic thwarted plans. He started thinking about it again last year and was eventually led to Casper. After negotiating, they came to an agreement and made the deal.
Both Mount and the Caspers Company have made it clear that the restaurant will stay the same. Mount said he told his staff the only difference will be who signs their paychecks.
“Our biggest compliment will be hearing from guests ‘that nothing has changed,’“ Adams said in an email.
Not only will the menu stay the same, so will employee benefits. In fact, Mount said, they’ll have even better benefits because Caspers Company is larger.
The third-generation, family-owned Caspers Company operates several brands, including hospitality company Oxford Commons, Tampa restaurants Oxford Exchange, Predalina, the Stovall House and Casa Cami, and St. Petersburg’s The Library.
Adams said she and Casper are humbled and honored that Mount chose them to carry on Wright’s legacy.
“Blake and I grew up with Wright’s for as long as I can remember,” she said. “The sandwich platters and cakes were a staple at birthday parties and celebrations, so Wright’s always reminds me of happy times.”
At one point, Mount thought of expanding the business with more locations but thought it would be too hard to keep up the quality. He built a model of giving customers a consistent and exceptional experience, because “99 percent of our customers can make their own ham and cheese sandwich,” he said.
It’s the staff who he will miss the most, he said.
Subscribe to our free Do & Dine newsletter
Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
But the restaurant business is a young person’s game, Mount said. He’s not only ready to enjoy time with his wife, children and grandchildren, but he’s ready for the next adventure.
He‘s being called to the next chapter.
“This is the chance for me to be Jeff 2.0,” he said.
Wright’s Gourmet House is open from 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday and 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. 1200 S. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. 813-253-3838. wrightsgourmet.com.
Maggie Duffy is an art and dining reporter, covering Tampa Bay’s arts scene and the next new place to eat. Reach her at mduffy@tampabay.com.
The Tampa Bay Times e-Newspaper is a digital replica of the printed paper seven days a week that is available to read on desktop, mobile, and our app for subscribers only. To enjoy the e-Newspaper every day, please subscribe.
