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On this episode, meet Craig, owner/operator of Gracie's Apizza in Portland, Oregon who runs his restaurant like no one else I've ever met. Three days a week, nine hours total, and he's completely content with that. No debt, no investors breathing down his neck, no pressure to expand or chase the latest trends. This conversation completely shifted how I think about what success looks like in the restaurant world. Craig has built something that works for HIM, not what others tell you a restaurant should be, and not what food media says you need to do, but what actually makes sense for his life. This isn't about grinding harder or scaling bigger—it's about building something sustainable that works for you. Craig proves you can be successful without burning out, profitable without debt, and respected without playing games you don't want to play.

Chapters:

0:00 - Can there be too Much Pizza?

2:31 - Working Solo 10:10 - Building Neighborhood Community

21:16 - Business Philosophy: What's the Point?

28:15 - Craig’s Model: Open Nine Hours Per Week

32:14 - Avoiding Anxiety

41:12 - Portland vs Philadelphia

56:59 - Running a Debt-Free Business

1:13:33 - Parenting Changes

1:27:34 -Authentic Customer Service

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🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/

My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons

In this episode, we dive into the creative process behind Hapa Pizza's fusion approach to pizza making, the challenges of recreating traditional dishes as pizza toppings, and why sometimes the best business ideas are the ones that feel like "no-brainers." From figuring out what works in high-heat ovens to perfecting the art of cultural fusion on dough, this is the story of turning passion into pizza.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - "Restaurant Build-Out Nightmare Stories"

00:02:07 - "Pizza Class with Ken Forkish"

00:06:42 - "Asian American Food Heritage"

00:08:25 - "Home Cooking vs Restaurant Life"

00:09:46 - "Ooni Pizza Oven Farmers Market Start"

00:11:09 - "Mental Health Therapist Turned Pizza Owner"

00:15:30 - "Restaurant Team Management Strategies"

00:18:28 - "Work-Life Balance with Kids"

00:22:00 - "Pizza Quality vs Team Development"

00:25:06 - "Hiring and Firing Restaurant Staff"

00:30:41 - "Asian Fusion Pizza Recipe Creation"

00:32:23 - "Vermicelli Bowl to Pizza Innovation"

00:35:50 - "Farmers Market to Brick and Mortar"

00:39:14 - "Accidental Food Truck Announcement"

00:42:35 - "Finding the Perfect Pizza Location"

00:44:45 - "Restaurant Construction Costs Reality"

00:50:18 - "New York Times Food Critic Visit"

00:52:47 - "Viral Pizza Recognition Moment"

00:54:08 - "Managing Overwhelming Customer Demand"

00:56:23 - "Overcoming Restaurant Imposter Syndrome"

01:03:01 - "Sustaining Business After Media Hype"

01:08:08 - "Caputo vs American Flour Testing"

01:09:46 - "Pizza Expo Competition Strategy"

01:14:20 - "Portland Pizza Scene Community"

01:15:23 - "Pizza Industry Hot Takes"

01:24:31 - "Collaborative Pop-Up Space Concept"

This Episode’s Sponsors→

🌾 Use Code: PIE2PIE to Get 15% Off Cairnspring Mills Flour: https://bit.ly/CairnspringMills

🌶️ Join The Pepper Flake Revolution: https://bit.ly/flatironpepper

🎶 Maestro Sausage: https://bit.ly/maestro-sausage

🍕 Be in Business for yourself, not by yourself w/ SLICE : https://bit.ly/SLICENOW

Get a NEW GOZNEY: https://us.gozney.com/?dt_id=1529737

Here's some FREE stuff →

🚀HOW TO STEAL A RECIPE https://www.subscribepage.com/howtostealarecipe

🍕 Thinking of Opening a Pizza Shop? Start here: https://howtoopenapizzashop.com/

My Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexkoons

On this episode, we sit down with Doug Mirielo, owner of DIMO's Apizza in Portland, Oregon, to discuss his incredible journey from opening with just $6,000 to creating one of the most unique pizza operations in the Pacific Northwest. Doug shares the story behind his unconventional two-oven method (Pizza Master + wood-fired oven), moving from the East Coast to LA to Portland, becoming a new dad during COVID, and why he's expanding with a deli concept next door. Plus, we dive into customer entitlement, the broken tipping system, and Doug's hot takes on pizza trends.

Chapters:

00:00 - Opening: Why Doug Started DIMO's Apizza in Portland

02:00 - How to Start a Pizza Shop with $6,000: Doug's Pop-Up Origin Story

05:22 - Opening a Pizzeria During COVID: New Dad, New Business Challenges

10:06 - Pizza Business Partnerships: When to Walk Away from Bad Deals

13:40 - Pizza Shop Management: Leading Teams and Work-Life Balance

21:39 - The Two-Oven Method: Why DIMO's Uses Pizza Master + Wood Fire

25:46 - New Haven Style Pizza: Recreating East Coast Tradition in Portland

28:36 - Pizza Perfection: Well-Baked vs Lightly Baked Pies

32:10 - Pizza Oven Capacity: How Many Pies Can You Really Make?

37:13 - Pizza Shop Traditions: Ranch, East Coast Foods, and Customer Preferences

41:02 - Moving from LA to Portland: Why Pizza Shop Owners Leave California

48:36 - Pizza Business Expansion: Adding a Deli to Your Pizzeria

57:21 - Restaurant Build-Out Reality: Why Every Project Goes Over Budget

1:05:33 - Pizza Industry Problems: Customer Entitlement and Tipping Culture

1:17:21 - Overrated vs Underrated: Half-and-Half Pizzas, Secret Menus & Pizza Trends