MEET: PITA PIT, LAS VEGAS:

Pita Pit was the right fit

Paul Sergi is a UNLV alumnus and Pita Pit franchisee.

Pita Pit, Las Vegas

Address: 1263 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89183

Phone: 702-778-PITA (7482)

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.pitapitusa.com

Hours of operation: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week

Owned/operated by: Paul Sergi Jr.

In business since: Jan. 1

Click to enlarge photo

Chicken Caesar pita at Pita Pit.

Describe your business.

We sell a healthy, quality product in a clean environment with exceptional customer service. We have a wide variety of vegetarian/vegan, breakfast (served all day) and lean meat pitas.

We have a full line of smoothies and a Coke Freestyle beverage machine that dispenses over 120 flavors.

Who are your customers?

Our customers are anyone who wants a quick meal but doesn’t want to eat 700 calories and 30 grams of fat. We believe people are tired of the high-fat, high-carb, zero-nutrition, fast lunch and dinner options like pizza, burgers and tacos.

How did you learn about the restaurant business?

At first, I just went to the library and read restaurant industry books for a few hours each day. One day, I stumbled across “Running a Restaurant for Dummies.” At the time, nothing could have been closer to the truth. As I read, I learned if I was going to be successful, I would need to be proficient on such topics as restaurant accounting, purchasing, marketing, cost control and labor laws. So, I went on the Web and purchased used textbooks that covered each of those topics. The textbooks were a little dry, but they held the knowledge that every restaurateur needs to be successful, so I was eager to keep reading. I found those textbooks to be a great starting point into discovering what would end up being a perfect career.

At this point, my next step was to receive a formal education. I knew that I wanted a bachelor’s degree in hospitality, so I decided to enroll in culinary school at the University of Akron in Ohio. After graduating, I moved to Las Vegas to attend UNLV, which has a great hospitality program. I wanted to graduate with the best.

How did you become interested in opening a Pita Pit?

I started out by identifying around 40 food franchises that I personally enjoyed. I knew that if I was not passionate about the product, I would never be able to stand behind the brand.

Next, I created an Excel file listing each franchise vertically. Horizontally, I listed franchisee requirements like net worth and experience level. I also listed potential threats from competing restaurants and from other franchisees. I had to make sure the marketplace was hungry for my product and that there was room for future expansion. Above all, my goal was to establish a foothold in Las Vegas with a fantastic national brand, in a new, untapped market. I just didn’t want to own another sub shop identical to the one just down the road.

Methodically, I eliminated potential franchises from my spreadsheet, until there were only 2 left. After personally meeting the franchisors and my attorney and accountants, I was convinced that Pita Pit would provide the greatest opportunity for success.

What is your favorite menu item?

That would have to be our chicken souvlaki. It’s our marinated Mediterranean seasoned chicken. I like to pack my souvlaki pita with romaine, spinach, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, onion, artichokes, black beans, feta cheese and our tzatziki spread.

What’s the most important part of your job?

Setting the standards by which we conduct our business and verifying that those standards are being upheld. You have to be relentless. I’m always looking for new ways to improve an existing process. I love it when my employees come to me with a way to build a better mousetrap. Those are the people you promote. It doesn’t have to be done my way. It has to be done the best way.

How can Nevada improve its business climate?

Make it easier to tap into Nevada’s unemployed. I’m always in search of quality employees. Maybe a database with individual profiles so businesses can actively search for quality employees instead of placing ads.

Tags: The Sunday
Business

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