Oregano’s Pizza Bistro says it ‘takes our pizza seriously.’ Many recipes were inspired by the founder’s Italian background.

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Many of us have known, at some point in our lives, of a neighborhood restaurant that feels just as much like home as our living rooms do. We return to it not just because we like the food, but because it is a place where we feel comfortable. Each restaurant in the 16-year-old Arizona pizza chain Oregano’s Pizza Bistro is one such place, its executives say.

“To step into these places, to look at the energy, the food and the servers – you get a vibe and a feel that’s comfortable and hard to describe until you actually see it,” founder and President Mark Russell says.

Because of the friendly, comfortable atmosphere of these restaurants, he notes, customers feel like Scottsdale-based Oregano’s is a temporary respite from the stresses of life. “Every one of our restaurants is considered ‘my’ restaurant,” CEO Chris Thomas explains. “And when [customers’] friends or family come into town, they say, ‘I’ve got to take you to my restaurant.’”

The Oregano’s atmosphere is centered on a late 1950s theme with that era’s music and memorabilia.
This is “a great time in American history to create a concept around,” Russell stresses. “You didn’t worry about the things you worry about today – it’s a part of that escape.”

This was especially apparent after 9/11, Russell says. While many restaurants suffered, Oregano’s sales went up.

“People wanted to feel connected to their community and they wanted to be around friends and family,” he believes. “When there is a lot of bad news out there, people are looking for that togetherness. Everyone leaves Oregano’s very full and very happy.”

Serious Pizza
Maintaining this atmosphere is what drives all Oregano’s employees to excel, from its executives to its servers. “It’s an overwhelmingly passionate culture of service and customer satisfaction,” Thomas notes. “We’ve all put our hearts and souls into this.”

Oregano’s has indeed taken pains to create this welcoming vibe, from continuously roasting garlic in the kitchen and letting the smell waft through the restaurant, to hiring and thoroughly training superior wait staff, to choosing one-of-a-kind, hand picked decorations in every restaurant.
And then, Russell says, there’s the pizza.

“We take our pizza seriously,” he stresses. The recipes were cultivated over time but were originally inspired by Russell’s Italian background. The company employs a talented executive chef, Ken Likewise, who is constantly devising new dishes.

Oregano’s new products include chipotle chicken pizza, pizza with chilled lettuce on top, sweet potato fries and a stuffed artichoke dip. In addition to pizza, other menu items include:

• Calamari
• Italian guacamole
• Salads
• Garlic bread
• Soup
• Bruschetta
• Chicken wings
• Thin crust, stuffed and pan pizza
• Baked sandwiches
• Pan pizza
  

Advertising and Expansion
Oregano’s has locations throughout Arizona, including Mesa, Tempe, Flagstaff, Scottsdale, Tucson, Phoenix and Gilbert. Oregano’s has become a powerful brand with a cult following, Marketing Director Gary Tarr says. “The brand has high appeal, and now we want to move the company from being an emerging brand, to over the next five years, to be more aggressive in growing the brand both in Arizona and radiating out from Arizona.”

This plan includes aggressive advertising with bold headlines. For example, when President Obama recently visited Arizona State University, Oregano’s was quick to advertise the slogan “Pocket Change You Can Believe In” on a billboard. “We try to stay topical when we’re advertising and up-to-date with what’s been happening,” Tarr explains.

Oregano's Legacy
Oregano’s creator Mark Russell was motivated to start the company due to the legacy of his father, a Chicago-born-and-raised pizza enthusiast, Russell says. “My dad died at the age of 72 while cutting the rug to Frank Sinatra with my mother,” he notes. “Years later, I cleaned out his garage and found close to a thousand assorted plates, glasses and silverware, that made me think he’d been collecting them for years in hopes of opening his own restaurant. I wish I had known.”   

Now, Oregano’s Pizza is the establishment his father would have wanted, the company notes. As neighborhood-style restaurants that create a sense of community, they echo the family atmosphere that Russell’s father, Lawrence Gibbilini, embraced.    

“On weekends, he would throw a large checkered tablecloth over the dining room table, drag up every chair in the apartment and invite all his friends, family and acquaintances over for dinner,” Russell says. “He would serve them his variations of time-honored Gibbilini dishes as well as recipes he was developing. Most received outstanding reviews and earned him the title of ‘Lawrence of Oregano.’”