Meet John Capone | Restaurant/Bar owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Capone and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My work life balance has definitely changed quite a bit over the 18 years that I have owned Bradley’s. In the beginning, there was virtually no balance. Plus being a new business owner, I had very little control over my emotions which fluctuated with sales. Both of these led to my divorce.

Over the last three years, I have made a huge transformation which drastically affected my work life balance. I took 26 weeks of vacation over two and a half years on 14 trips. I stabilized my staff and have great confidence in them, hence, I am comfortable leaving on vacations. I love working more than ever!! When I get back from trips I do need to work long hours to get caught up but I absolutely love it!!!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I moved from NJ to Georgia in 1984 to go to Ga Tech. I started working as a bartender while in college. I became the Bar Manager at Ray’s On The River in 1988. I struggled many years with other restaurant management jobs. So after my first divorce, I decided I needed to get “a real job”. So I started working for a print company. I eventually became a salesman and did well enough to buy a home with my second wife.

Then I knew I wanted to work for myself. I was able to buy Bradley’s on my own. After 2+ years, I was losing the bar. I made some pretty bad mistakes. My second marriage ended. I remember looking in the mirror and saying I was either going to fail at business ownership, get a job and learn to pay off my home and the note on the bar or I was going to find a way to make the bar successful. I made the tough decisions and started working 12-16 hour days for months. Luckily, I was able to turn everything around.

The funny part was when I realized I was going to make it, I was staring in the mirror at home, flexing my arms and screaming at the mirror saying, “YOU CAN’T TAKE THIS FROM ME!!!!!” It was then that I realized, this whole thing was my own manifestation. During my first 2 years owning the bar, I kept saying, “I want a financially stable Bradley’s”. Well, as they say, be careful what you wish for. I realized the way The Universe was going to deliver me a financially stable Bradley’s was by The Universe trying to take it away from me. And simply because I showed up everyday and did not back down from the challenge, The Universe or God, found a way through. It still brings me to tears.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I think Bradley’s is one of the coolest dive bars in all of America. People who look for dive bars say we are truly a great version of one. So, we would definitely keep Bradley’s as Home Base. I do love sushi and I think my friend Tim at Sukura, nearly across the street from the bar, serves up some of the best sushi in all of Metro Atlanta. My home is under a mile for Historic Roswell so we would definitely spend time on Canton Street. If they wanted to see something more Atlanta like, I do love the Aquarium, and depending on the season, I would take them to a Braves, United or Falcons game. And I would love to take them to workout at LifeTime at the Prado because even if they didn’t want to workout, their amenities are the best. My executive workout is the sauna, cold plunge, pool, hot tub, pool, steam room and shower and I have not met anyone who doesn’t like it. For a night that we just want to chill at the house, I love cooking and drinking wine. If the weather is cool enough, I love lighting a fire on the back porch and enjoy the outside.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My transformation started January 2023 where I decided to implement the Law of Attraction into my life. It evolved over 3 months into putting God first. My daily ritual of prayer and reading my daily reader and then my Bible has truly changed my life in ways I cannot explain. I have staff and customers who have known me for 18 years and they all have noticed a drastic difference in me. I am so much happier and the “luck” I have been experiencing over these last three years is just off the chain!!

I set out on this new path with a burning desire to be the best version of myself. I met a woman in April of 2023 that gave me even more reason to want to be the best version of myself. Now, that woman is my wife.

I have friends that are perplexed on how could I be putting God first and at the same time having more fun and enjoyment than ever before! Plus, the purpose God has given me totally fuels me everyday to want to get up and get my new day started.

Website: https://www.bradleysbarandgrill.com

Instagram: @bradleysbarandgrill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bradleysbarandgrill.com

Image Credits
None, they were either selfies or buddies