Tony Migliarese, owner of DOPO, is a familiar face in the Calgary restaurant industry. His entrepreneurship journey is equal parts soulful and strategic. From serving his mom’s famous tiramisu recipe to embodying his late restaurateur father’s passion for hospitality, he is inspired by his family roots.
DOPO, which means “after” in Italian, opened after its predecessor, D.O.P, closed its doors when the building it resided in was torn down. “I didn’t want to open the same restaurant,” said Migliarese of his decision to start anew and open a spin-off of the beloved D.O.P. Dishes like a 23-layer black truffle lasagna bring the same craft, but DOPO, and its sister wine bar located upstairs, Bar Rocca, are very much their own.
“It looks like my grandma’s basement, with the photos on the wall of our staff and our family,” says Migliarese. “Everything on the wall means something. So I think what I love the most is that it feels comfortable when you’re in there.” Customers seem to agree: In January, one of the DOPO’s quietest months, the business saw (through Square Dashboard) that 91% of customers were returning customers.
Managing seasonal financial pressures
Even with a loyal following, Alberta winters can be harsh. Between unpredictable weather and seasonal business fluctuations, DOPO faces a perfect storm of financial pressures after the holidays. “There’s some months where it’s feast or famine in my industry,” says Migliarese. “Everyone’s out in December, and then everyone’s saving in January. January is the longest month of the year for restaurant people.”
But during slow periods, expenses don’t stop. You need to pay your staff. Your pizza oven unexpectedly breaks. You realize you have to invest in storage. “And then we will have winter storms or cold weather where people have to cancel. You have all these staff members still on and you still want to get everyone paid and keep the ship running, but the cold months really hurt you,” adds Migliarese.
Using Square Loans to stay ahead
To maintain momentum, Migliarese turned to Square Loans, which he calls a “lifesaver.” He especially appreciated the simple application process. “The first time we did it, I didn’t believe it actually happened because it was so quick,” he says. “Banks are funny – they only lend money to people who have money,” he adds. “With Square, it’s like three or four clicks, a few questions, and then the money is deposited right into your account.”
Loan offers are based on POS business data, which makes accessing financing a breeze. The automatic repayment system is based on daily sales. When they increase, you pay a little more. When business slows down, you pay less. And you never make payments when you’re closed. For a restaurant like DOPO, where sales can dip during shoulder seasons, that flexibility is crucial for managing cash flow without extra stress.
Beyond financing, the broader Square ecosystem keeps the business running smoothly behind the scenes. Nina Snider, Director of Operations at DOPO, uses Square Dashboard on a regular basis to track performance and optimize operations. “We’re using a lot of the historical sales data to help with our forecasting,” she says. “Before we opened, we were able to understand [our potential earnings] based on our size and what we previously had at the old restaurant. That helped us make business decisions for the new restaurant in terms of capacity, hours and menu.”
Square Shifts allows Snider to manage all the staff schedules across multiple restaurants, from time off and time tracking to shift planning. And Square Point of Sale integrates with OpenTable, which helps improve turn times with real-time table status alerts, and with MarginEdge, which DOPO relies on for functions like accounting. “Everything talks to Square,” says Snider. “I don’t have to go and manually do things to get results or get a line of sight on where our money is going or coming from.”
“I always wondered if [POS systems] were designed by people who work in restaurants when I’ve used other ones. This one seems like it’s been designed by people who know how a restaurant works,” says Migliarese.
Better cash flow, stronger systems and a business built for longevity
Thanks to Square Loans, DOPO is able to maintain operations and sustain healthy cash flow all year round – which means that Migliarese is able to breathe a little easier when February rolls around.
“You carry a lot of burden as a business owner and finances is the number one,” shares Migliarese. “[Square Loans] just takes a little weight off your chest in the times where you’re kind of holding your breath a bit.”
The flexibility of Square Loans helps the team act quickly when needed. “It’s really a great way to get things done that you need done and maybe sooner than you expected to,” explains Migliarese. “I can try to save this money and then do it and it’ll take a few months, or I take the loan and then I do the projects and pay it off when the project’s already done.”
As DOPO continues to grow, the team is focused on more than expansion – they want to build a restaurant that will stand the test of time. Where do they want to see the business in 10 years? Both Migliarese and Snider return to the same idea: A staple of the neighbourhood and a place where people feel at home, where, like Snider puts it, “whoever’s taking care of you, you’re part of the family.”
“It’s a place for celebration, it’s a place for love, laughter and life moments for people that come in,” says Snider. “And for the team, I see it just being a place where we have the best employees doing the work that they are really good at doing.”
Migliarese agrees: “I just want it to be a pillar of the community, meaning people can share anniversaries and birthdays there.”
The one word they would use to describe the restaurant? “Memories,” shares Snider. “Family,” adds Migliarese.