Laois traditional Irish Italian chippers celebrates 40 years in business

A traditional Irish Italian chipshop in Laois is celebrating 40 years of business this week, with a celebration to thank all who helped it survive throughout the decades.

Mountmellick in 1985 was a different town to what it is today, recalls Italian Roberto Caschera, proprietor of Roberto's Take Away.

Born in Italy near Athena, he first moved to Dublin before coming to Laois aged 24.

He bought the chipshop and family home on Parnell Street from its previous owner Amerigo Matassa, and got busy frying up tasty traditional fish and chips and serving Mountmellick customers.

"It was a struggle at the beginning but we got through it. It wasn't easy at a 19.5% interest rate on my loan.

"In the first few years of being here, I've seen a lot of pubs closing, and small shops. It's hard for a small business to keep going in a small town," Roberto told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. 

He married Mountmellick lady Tracy Houlihan and the couple have two grown children, Roberto and Rosa, and a beloved grandson Luca aged 3. The family go back to Italy every year to visit Roberto's mother Rosa, who will turn 103 years old this September. 

It remains a family business but also a local employer.

"Over the years we have employed a lot of teens. At the moment young Rob and Rosa are working here and myself and Tracy too.

"It is hard work. It used to be long hours but Covid changed everything. We used to open until 2.30 or 3am. Now we do a lot of online orders and deliveries and we finish at 11pm," Roberto said.

Keeping the business going is still no picnic.

"Our running costs like electricity are sky high. The price of everything is too dear," he said.

The menu remains almost the same, traditional fish and chips and burgers, with the later addition of pizzas.

Roberto shares the secret to good chips.

"Good oil, and good potatoes," he says.

"And a good wife," adds Tracy.

Roberto is very aware that it is local support that has kept him in business.

"I want to thank all our customers and our staff, past present and future for all the help. And our neighbours for being so understanding. Also our suppliers for dealing with me," he said.

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To celebrate their 40th business birthday, any order placed from Friday, June 13 to Sunday, June 15 will be entered into a prize raffle. There is also 10% off everything on the menu on Sunday and Monday. 

Parnell Street is about to undergo up to eight weeks of roadworks, with one side of the road closed as Uisce Éireann replace old watermains, but Roberto assures customers that it will be "business as usual".