Street: Why did you decide to buy Allegro?
Dimitrios Dimopoulos: It was a good opportunity that came up. I really like the location and this community, and I also like the concept of Italian-style pizza, because I wouldn't be competing with my restaurant [Greek Lady] down the street.
Street: But in a way that is kind of competing, because you still sell some of the same kind of things here.
DD: I sell a couple of the same kind of things, but most of the stuff is not the same, like the pizza and Italian dishes. And we sell beer here.
Street: Who does your decorating? We noticed this is kind of similar to Greek Lady.
DD: I did it.
Street: It's very nice, you love marble.
DD: Yeah.
Street: On average, do you think you sell more pizza slices, or forties?
DD: Pizza slices.
Street: Are you sure? Because a lot of people buy forties.
DD: But it doesn't compete with the pizza.
Street: Does the alcohol selection attract a lot of customers?
DD: We're going to have a lot of different kinds of beer from all over the world, including some really rare beers that are from a small brewery in Australia, let's say. We'll have a little basket next to the cooler with empty six packs, and as customers come in, they can fold the six packs back up into the shape and make their own. Grab one beer from here and one from there. That's the whole concept of the cooler. And we're gonna have a computer out there so you can do your own research on it.
Street: You're so tech savvy.
DD: It's gonna run a program called Beer Hound so if you see a beer from somewhere that you never heard of, you can do a little research on it and it says if it's a lager, if it's a light, how many calories are in it, where the brewery started.
Street: Wow, that might sell more than pizza. So do you feel like you're famous now, people recognize you around campus?
DD: No, I don't feel like that at all.
Street: Is Allegro going to stay Italian or are you going to Greek it, maybe change the name to Allegriopoulos?
DD: No, I paid a lot of money for the name so I won't change it. The concept is Italian pizza, Italian dishes, and a good selection of beer. That's what it was when Joe, the old owner, opened up the store 24 years ago, and that's what I want to keep it.
