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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