In business, as in gambling, you gotta know when to fold ’em—but it takes a savvy pizzeria operator to transform the sobering reality of business closure into even greater success. Founder Joe Farruggio did just that when he consolidated his family’s Virginia-based restaurants, founded in 1978, into a single location in Arlington. He also completely rebranded, reopening in October 2020 with a new name, A Modo Mio, which means “My Way” in Italian.

Joe certainly does things his way. For most operators, expansion and growth is the never-ending goal. But when is downsizing, not growing, the best way forward? PMQ recently talked to Farruggio and his team (facilitated by author Amy Riolo, who handles his public relations efforts) to find out more about his bold business changes—and how they’ve helped ensure his decades-old enterprise will continue to feed generations to come.

PMQ: How did your business look before and after consolidating?

A Modo Mio: Joe’s Place Pizza & Pasta was a New York-style pizzeria with buffet service that did very well from 1985 to 2020. According to Joe, “Joe’s Place Pizza & Pasta was a concept that was going out of style in the area, so I wanted to create something new and looked to my thriving Georgetown restaurant, Il Canale, for inspiration.”

Il Canale was doing very well—it was (and still is) popular among locals, the Italian community and VIPs alike. He decided to incorporate that style in Virginia. Joe’s Place enjoyed a healthy life, but it was time for the sun to set on the concept, which was missing a vibrant, young clientele, so Joe thought it was a good idea to make a new concept. He wanted to offer pizza Napoletana with authentic Italian cuisine. 

Letting go of the old concept may have seemed like a negative thing, but “we used the opportunity to transform it into something positive and great,” he says. Joe is proud of his team, which includes chef/pizzaiolo Antonio Biglietto, who is also a co-owner, and his nephew, co-owner Rosario Farruggio, for carrying out his vision daily. A Modo Mio now offers 100% authentic Neapolitan in a restaurant with full service, elevated cuisine, an extensive Italian wine list and craft cocktails.

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Rosario Farruggio says the old Joe’s Place concept was “no longer sustainable, so we decided to change to stay in the business.” (A Modo Mio)

PMQ: How can operators know when it’s best to consolidate or downsize, and why is it helpful to do so?

A Modo Mio: According to A Modo Mio’s co-owner Rosario Farruggio, “The old concept was no longer sustainable, so we decided to change to stay in the business. COVID killed the old business, because it was buffet-style, with a salad bar.” Joe’s Place wasn’t COVID-friendly.

In the beginning, we even considered turning it into a different kind of business. Joe came up with the idea to do something like what was working at Il Canale, his landmark restaurant, which wasn’t a buffet. Like everyone else, Rosario says, “We didn’t know that COVID would last that long. Joe called his colleague Antonio Biglietto (with whom he was planning to open the 90 Second Pizza concept at the time), and together we decided to open A Modo Mio.”

PMQ: What was the consolidation process like?

A Modo Mio: Once they decided to reopen as A Modo Mio, Biglietto and Joe started looking at reorganizing the kitchen and how flow would be with the new oven. The old restaurant concept had a conveyor belt, while the new one had a real Neapolitan oven, which created the need for a lot of changes in the kitchen design.

Once the oven was taken into consideration, the second step was redesigning the look and ambience of the restaurant. They looked at the bar, the floors and the lighting, to change the image and make it more like a full-service restaurant.

Next, they had to change the menu to reflect the new vision—one would allow for fast service. They got rid of items that took too long and added authentic Italian and Neapolitan dishes, like you would be able to eat in a trattoria.

Next came installations of all the equipment. According to Rosario, “PR was a challenge, because we had to start from scratch and reintroduce ourselves. First, we wanted everyone to know that it was still us (the same team that ran Joe’s Place Pizza & Pasta), because we wanted to keep our old customer base happy. Then we didn’t want people to know what the difference was between the concepts.” 

Soon after, however, they realized that the old customers weren’t necessarily into the new concept, so promoting it was a big challenge. They started from scratch and decided to show the world who they are now, as if they were a completely new place. At the same time, however, they made sure to highlight their years of expertise, prominent place in the community and established commitment to customer service. It took a while to spread the word, especially since we were dealing with the pandemic, but it paid off! 

Chef Antonio Biglietti gets ready for a wine dinner at A Modo Mio. (A Modo Mio)

PMQ: How has the business changed in the consolidation?

A Modo Mio: For the owners, one of the greatest benefits that the new concept has brought is a new feeling of satisfaction. Before, they were more known for their great relationship with their community and customers. Joe’s Place Pizza & Pasta sponsored sports leagues and witnessed the growth of many families, but the food was prepared at a fast-casual level. 

Nowadays, Joe, Rosario and Antonio have the satisfaction of offering very high-quality products. Customers can taste and experience the difference of the quality of food that they offer and give consistent feedback about it. Even though they aren’t a fancy restaurant per se, their food can hold its own with top level-restaurants. 

“Our customers tell us that our dishes are second to none,” Rosario says. “Chef Antonio does a great job of ensuring authenticity with our menus and in the pizza making process. Everyone who eats here feels like they’re in Italy, and we have a lot of Italian customers and people who travel to Italy often who enjoy that about our food.”

PMQ: What benefits has the new business model offered?

A Modo Mio: They have done updates and revamping since opening with co-owner Rosario Farruggio and chef/pizzaiolo Antonio Biglietto. A Modo Mio was featured on 50 Top Pizza’s USA 2024 Excellent Pizzerias list in 2023, and in 2024 A Modo Mio was featured in 50 Top Pizza as having one of best 50 pizzas in the U.S.

According to Biglietto, “Napoli is the star ingredient in our recipe for success.” He credits the combination of having two Neapolitan pizza makers, the best Italian ingredients and a Neapolitan pizza oven for giving A Modo Mio an advantage. Having grown up in Naples, Chef Antonio and his nephew, pizzaiolo Antonio Riccio, have pizza making in their DNA. Chef Antonio loves bringing the authentic and innovative flavors and time-honored techniques of Naples to the United States and feels that the fast-paced nature of the businesses fuel his creativity in the kitchen.

Antonio Riccio placed 7th in pizza competitions at Pizza Expo this year in the Neapolitan category. Inheriting his passion from his uncle, he says, “To make perfect Neapolitan pizza, everything needs to be perfect: the ingredients, the communication, the pizzaiolo’s technique and the service.”

Unlike many smaller pizzerias, A Modo Mio boasts 130 seats, offers the same authentic pizzas at lunch and dinner, and has a full menu of homemade Italian pastas, wild-caught seafood, sizzling steak, craft cocktails, authentic desserts and a carefully crafted wine list. A Modo Mio has garnered accolades both in Italy and the United States, and the new concept gives them the opportunity to host frequent wine dinners and special events as well. The team is really proud of bringing an authentic Italian experience to Arlington. 

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