Former corrections officer opens fast-casual chain 'Teriyaki Madness' in Chambersburg
Carley Bonk
When Jake Moore embarked on a new career path, he wanted to do something that would make people smile.
"I was a corrections officer at a state prison for 27 years," he said. "For 27 years it was a somewhat gloomy atmosphere, very strict, very serious. It was a lot of telling people 'no' and I wanted to be able to tell people 'yes.' I wanted to be able to make people smile instead of making people mad."
That's why Moore and his wife, Candy, opened a location of the Seattle-style fast-casual restaurant Teriyaki Madness in Chambersburg.
Moore worked at SCI Huntingdon, but now that he has grandchildren, he wants them to see a different side of him.
"I had my first grandchild this year and I want my grandchild to know pappy as happy," he said. "My kids might tell you dad was a bit grumpy growing up. I'm just trying to broaden my horizons. I have so much less stress after leaving the prison."
Teriyaki Madness' menu features Asian food with a Seattle twist in a fast-casual setting where customers can customize their bowls with a variety of meat, vegetables, rice and noodle options.
"It's really good food and I'm a firm believer that once you try it you're going to like it," he said.
The Moores bought into the Teriyaki Madness brand because, they said, they saw growth in the franchise, enjoyed the "excellent" food and appreciated the kind of consistency a chain restaurant can offer.
"We cook everything fresh," Moore said, "We have healthy alternatives."
He describes himself as a foodie, and after trying everything on the menu, he and Candy fell in love with the options Teriyaki Madness offered.
The spicy chicken and steak teriyaki are two of his favorites.
Moore said he enjoyed cooking for his family throughout the years. He would cook during the week and his wife would make meals on the weekends.
"I've always liked cooking, but the cooking I did at home was nothing like this," he said. "I always feel a little bit like a chef here."
The family trained at a location in Virginia Beach where they learned everything from prep to finished meals.
But it hasn't all been easy, according to Moore. Opening a restaurant offers some challenges, but having family around to help has made things run more smoothly.
Jake and Candy's son will also be a part of the family business, taking on the role of assistant manager. Their eldest daughter will run the social media pages for the business.
"We just take it day by day," he said. "This restaurant is kind of for them. I think everybody wants to leave a little bit of a legacy and I want this to be a part of my legacy. I would be very proud to someday turn this over to my son."
He and his wife have every intention of expanding in the future, specifically to the State College area closer to their home. His son lives in Chambersburg, so that's why they thought it might be a good location to start out.
Moore said he'd love to be able to hand a location over to each of his four children.
"That's kind of the long-term goal and I'd like to reach that," he said. "But to be honest, just getting this one - I'm proud of it."
By the end of next year, there will be at least three other locations within Pennsylvania, according to Moore.
For now, Moore wants to begin to build a relationship with those in the Chambersburg community - starting with grand opening events spanning from Nov. 23 to Nov. 27.
"I know it may sound corny to some, but I'm really looking forward to making people happy and serving them good food," he said.
Despite the challenges, opening this franchise is still much less stressful than working in a prison, Moore said.
"My first four or five hours yesterday, I was ready to pull out what little hair I had left," he said with a laugh. "But by the evening, just being back there with new members of my family and having a good time making the food, I went home with a smile on my face."
Opening week deals:
- Saturday, Nov. 23: "Sneak peek" First 100 people at the door at 11:00 a.m. and first 100 people at the door at 5:00 p.m. get a free entree.
- Sun., Nov. 24: "Soft open"
- Mon., Nov. 25: "Grand opening" A DJ will be on location, $5 Teriyaki Chicken Bowls, giveaways, first five customers in line will receive free teriyaki for a year, the next 20 people in line will receive free teriyaki for a month.
- Wed., Nov. 27: $1 from every teriyaki bowl sold will go to benefit the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter.
Teriyaki Madness is located at 243 Walker Road in Chambersburg. The hours of operation are 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day of the week. Delivery options are also available.
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