dec-2017

122 123 OTTO PIZZA who owned a nightclub, and Keon, a former fishing boat cook, owned a bistro. Both had years of culinary experience, albeit no formal train- ing.Theymet through their mutual establishments, bonded over Allen’s wood-fired pizza, and eventually joined forces. Fast forward to 2009, Portland,Maine.Allen explains,“I had sold my nightclub,my broker biz wasn’t doing well, and Mike’s restaurant in Portland wasn’t doing great either.He called and asked me if I wanted to look at a space for a little pizza slice shop. Just a phone call, and that’s how it all happened.” Otto’s owners applied themselves AT A GLANCE OTTO PIZZA WHAT: Elevated pizza experience’ chain; 12 shops in Maine and Massachusetts WHERE: Head office in Portland Maine WEBSITE: www.ottoportland.com methodically to the business side of the oper- ation,while creating a distinctive product: an elevated idea of pizza.The location was divine. Congress St. is the main spine of Portland, a city of 65,000, and there was no pizza on this street for two miles. Competitive advantage–there simply was no pie.The business plan was to open one slice shop.A second unit wasn’t dis- cussed “until we were up and going and saw the contagious frenzy around our particular pie.” That original 11’ by 28’ shop continues to thrive today, still driven by product and person- ality.When it opened in 2009, the recession had taken its toll and many neighboring buildings were boarded up.Allen recalls,“It was such a small shop that Mike and I got to interact with everyone.The financial world was falling apart, and here we were opening a restaurant–prob- ably the worst thing to do.We showed some verve and people were excited by that. For three bucks a slice, tax included,we made them feel good during a rough time.” The first day Otto opened, a Monday, sales were $174.Allen and Keon were tickled pink, though it did take encouragement for people to like some of the ‘specialties’ they were serving. The mashed potato, bacon, and scallion slice, for