Business enterprise: Sugo Mio Pizza &amp Pasta

Address: 541 W. 87th St., Naperville

Telephone/web page: 630-983-8414, www.sugomiopizzaandpasta.com

Owner: Joe Gambino, 47, of Oswego

Years in company: four

What does your company do? “We are a carryout only, neighborhood pizza spot. … The neighborhood supports Zeppe’s (Italian Marketplace in the similar strip mall) a ton,” Gambino mentioned.

How lengthy have you owned Zeppe’s? “Twenty years in November.”

What does Sugo Mio translate to? “My sauce. It all stems from Zeppe’s Italian Marketplace. … I had this vision that I was going to sell sauce like my ‘nonna,’ my grandmother, cooked on Sundays. … My really 1st batch turned into Zeppe’s Sauce. … I do not make sauce off an index card. I make it ‘a small bit of this, a small bit of that.’ … Without having the sauce that we sell at Zeppe’s, there’d be no Zeppe’s. … When I came (to Sugo Mio), I hoped to get fortunate and knock my 1st batch out of the park. It took me nine batches right here.”

Nine? “Nine 50-quart batches to make it specifically the similar each and every time. At Zeppe’s, I did it in 1. Sugo, I was becoming truly picky. … I had a vision of what I wanted my sauce and my dough to be like. We brought that tavern-style thin crust pizza right here.”

Joe Gambino adds sausage to a pizza his producing at his carry-out/on the net delivery restaurant, Sugo Mio Pizza &amp Pasta, situated on 87th Street in a residential neighborhood in Naperville. (Steve Metsch/Naperville Sun)

Thin crust or deep dish? “I travel a lot. People today hear I personal a pizza spot. I’ll say that most Chicagoans do not consume the tourist pizza. I’m not saying we do not have (deep dish) after in a although, but most Chicagoans (favor) thin crust tavern-style reduce in squares.”

What tends to make your pizza particular? “We use true higher-finish mozzarella cheese. I only use the most effective tomatoes. … I attempt to not compromise my item. … Ninety-5 % of our sales is normal thin crust pizza. I like sausage, mushroom and onion on mine. … We have a 40-year-old brick oven. I enjoy this oven. It is wonderful. … We use the similar sausage we sell at Zeppe’s. … I only use fresh components. No frozen vegetables.”

What’s the back story? “This was referred to as Pieroni’s Pizza more than 30 years. I purchased this spot 4 years ago.”

Do you provide? “Only if they order on the net.”

How did the virus effect your company? “COVID-19 did a quantity on each companies. Zeppe’s, we have been truly busy, but truly strained. Only 5 workers, we have been private shoppers. Run ragged. … Business enterprise was terrible (at Sugo). How a lot of restaurants closed? People today say, ‘During COVID-19, you have to have killed it.’ No. … Supplies expense a lot more and people today have been not carrying out carryout in the starting (of the pandemic).”

What do you like most effective? “I’m a people today particular person. I get enjoyment, like a lot of my Italian ancestors, out of seeing people today appreciate my meals. I do not do any marketing. We are a word-of-mouth sort of spot. That is the slowest way to create a company, but it is the most effective.”

Any negatives? “Many, a lot of hours. Employee concerns continuously. … I’m 1 particular person with numerous companies. I have to cover right here, cover there. … I brought a new idea in. … For all the people today who enjoy us, there have been some trolls.”

What challenges did you face? “Taking more than a company, but I’ve been carrying out this for 30-plus years, operating my personal compact companies.”

Joe Gambino opened Sugo Mio in Naperville fours years ago. It is a couple of doors down from Zeppe’s Italian Marketplace, which he also owns. (Steve Metsch/Naperville Sun)

When are you busy? “Fridays and Saturdays.”

Do you sell deep dish pizza? “We do not. We do a stuffed pizza, but 95 % is thin crust.”

At what temperature do you bake a pizza? “I go with 525 (degrees). Our pizzas are prepared in eight to nine minutes.”

Do you have any favourite stories? “There are so a lot of stories in my head. … I sell my frozen pizzas at Zeppe’s. … A client comes in and says, ‘Joe, you have excellent pizza right here, but I’ve got to inform you, there’s a spot I acquire frozen pizza at that is improved than your pizza.’ I asked exactly where. He mentioned, ‘It’s Zeppe’s. They sell pizzas that are so excellent.’ I mentioned, ‘Those are my pizzas.’

“We also have a gentleman each and every Thursday at six o’clock who orders a 12-inch, all-sausage, half-mushroom pizza. I enjoy that.”

Is this place excellent for company? “I enjoy becoming in a neighborhood. I’d take this more than becoming on Route 59 or 75th Street.”

What’s your suggestions for somebody beginning a company? “Do your investigation. Do not concentrate on just the notion or item. Have an understanding of there’s going to be complications. Attempt to be the most effective dilemma-solver you can be. A dilemma-solver is the most effective businessman. Period.”

If you know of a company you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business enterprise, get in touch with Steve Metsch at metschmsfl@yahoo.com.

Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.