Author: Deyse Pires, BSU student
aI had the pleasure in Interviewing Joao Jardim owner of Giardano’s in Abington, Mass. Giardano’s is a family-owned Italian restaurant established in 2018. They serve a variety of delicious Italian cuisine and the best crème brulee I have ever had, not only is the food delicious but the customer service is absolutely outstanding starting with the owners.
So, let’s start with are you from this local area?
My family and I are originally from Brazil. I migrated to the U.S. at age 16 in order to live out The American Dream, and today I reside in Abington. Our restaurant is located in Abington, MA.
Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business?
It has always been a dream of mine to own a restaurant. Many question why I, as a Brazilian, decided to open an Italian restaurant. That reason dates back to when I came over from Brazil at 16. I worked my way up as a dishwasher to eventually the head chef at various Italian restaurants in Boston.
When did it start? What Year?
Our dreams started to come a reality when we opened our restaurant in July of 2018.
What was the toughest thing you went through when opening? What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
The toughest thing about opening was coming to agreement with how the restaurant would be established and run as a partnership. I was inspired by my children to keep going with these challenges. I wanted to create something that would give them the life I didn’t have growing up in the small town that I did.
If you had to start over from day 1 what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
If I were to start over, I would open my businesses on my own instead of including family members. The truth is, that mixing family and business is not a good idea; both should be separate so that one does not affect the other.
What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
The hardest part about 2020 was the constant change. The restaurant industry was especially hit hard because we had severe restrictions placed on us. Every 2 weeks new regulations would come out about how many people were allowed, or how long they could dine in for. For months we were not allowed to have dine-in seating and we’re only allowed to do takeout. It was horrible.
If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first? What makes you stand out?
What differentiates my business from others is the care and attention that I put into every dish we send out. I create weekly specials that take hours to formulate.
What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
The number one way I bring in new customers is through our social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Nowadays, people look for places to eat on Instagram and this has inspired us to invest in taking better quality photos that will grab the attention of people from all over.
Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
This has definitely improved our success. People have come as far as the Cape to try one of our Margaritas with our popsicles, or baked stuff lobster because they saw it on Instagram.
Do you feel that internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the
right tools?
We are currently investing in more technology tools by hiring a social media manager to help us further expand our business.
If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
In six months, I would love for my business to be able to be seating at 100% capacity. I would also love to be getting the attention of even more customers from far away.
Giardino’s is located at 497 Bedford Street in Abington, MA.
Contact them via:
Phone: 781-878-3888
Website: giardinosabington.com
Facebook: @GiordinosAbington
Instagram: @giordinosabington