As a teenager, John Caporale began making plans for his own bar and restaurant. At 18, he started working part-time at a downtown bar and went on to manage a country club bar and restaurant. By the time John was 22, he was working at Cheerleaders Bar and shortly moved into management where he worked for 13 years. In 2006, John and a friend took over the area Cheerleader’s occupied and it has been Cappy’s ever since. The diverse bar offers both a sports bar atmosphere and nightclub entertainment as well as an unbelievable food menu. Every weeknight a different event takes place, including karaoke, bar pong, Texas Hold’em (the largest game in Lincoln), live bands on the weekends, fashion shows, outdoor bike/car shows, and great pre-game and post-game football parties with their very own Lil Red. Cappy’s has also used their achievement to successfully raise ample amounts of money for charities, primarily The March of Dimes.
Tell me a little about your family. - I am married to Lori Caporale. We have two sons, Dameon Caporale age 10 and Aaron Bright age 19. I come from a very strong family. I have four brothers and one sister (one brother who passed away 11 years ago that I have an annual pool tournament for) and I am the youngest. My parents, Patricia Caporale and Patrick Caporale have been divorced since 1972. My mother is from a small Nebraska town, Wymore, and my father is from Brooklyn, New York (very strong Sicilian family). I owe all of my work ethics and success to my mother. Watching her work harder than anyone I have ever known for so many years made me learn what work is and the value of a dollar.
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? - The birth of my son Dameon. Having a child completely changed my life and the way I approached both success and failure. He is a big part of my inspiration with my business.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? - I do not have days off. When I get a few hours off now and then, I definitely spend it with my wife and son. Family is very important to me and I actually stress that to my employees.
What are you the most proud of? - Two things: my son Dameon and to some extent, myself. It makes me proud to see how hard work and dedication can make even a small town boy like me succeed.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? - “We work to live, we don’t live to work.” I just haven’t got to really take the time to actually do that, yet.
What is the one goal you would most like to accomplish? - To have a successful business that my son(s) can take over someday and have a business that people will remember in a positive way.
How would your friends describe you? - Hard working, considerate, yet stubborn. Oh, “short & very Italian”.
What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? - Athleticism
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? - To be more patient.
What is your favorite book or the last good book you read? - Of Mice and Men
What is your favorite TV show? - House and Family Guy
What is your favorite Lincoln restaurant? - Chili’s
If you could have dinner with one famous person from the past or present, who would it be? - Sylvester Stallone or Jerome Bettis (Pittsburgh Stealers)