Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriella & Ben Spangler.
Hi Gabriella & Ben, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
We started our brick-and-mortar business, Bebe Zito as one of the first new businesses in Minneapolis post-covid-related shutdowns. It was a wild ride navigating owning a new business in this unchartered territory and running a business as a couple.
We got married on the steps of our shop that summer and come fall, we found a food truck on Facebook Market that introduced our burger which quickly became viral and a Minneapolis staple! People lined up for blocks each weekend for the Bebe burger, even in sub-zero weather!
You can’t get more Minnesota than burgers and ice cream outside in the winter. 2.5 years later, we’ve grown to 3 locations with the latest location Eat Street Crossing that introduces our newest concept, Ouro Pizzaria, which is the first Brazilian pizza concept in Minnesota!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. In fact, many restauranteurs empathize with both of us in navigating starting a business during a time when the restaurant industry has been completely changed. Pre-covid, there were already elements of the industry that simply were stuck in the past, or were yearning for a drastic change. Covid amplified the need for that change.
We’ve been a business born in a difficult time, but our ability to accept the need to always be adaptive and to pivot has definitely been key to making challenging situations much less challenging.
Despite the difficulties at times working as a couple can have, our understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses has made us into a duo that’s suitable for the challenges the service industry can have.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We now have grown to two parts of our brand, which is something we are extremely proud of – Bebe Zito Ice Cream & Burgers and Ouro Pizzaria!
Bebe Zito started a small batch ice cream company and had grown to a company with a cult-followed burger, along with fried chicken accompaniments. All products are hand-crafted and we champion creativity and authenticity.
It’s grown into Ouro Pizzaria (spelled the Brazilian way!) this year, which is the first Brazilian pizza concept in Minnesota, and pays homage to my (Gabriella) family ties to Brazil. Brazilian pizza flirts with the line of savory and sweet, which is something we’ve become familiar with in our earlier ventures. It’s topping-heavy. We import and use ingredients that may be a bit more unfamiliar to Minnesotans. Really, it’s become a canvas for us to be creative once again, and tell a story that deeply reflects home, culture, and identity.
We are proud to have grown from just the two of us to a whole team that believes in creating intelligent food at an accessible price point. We’ve created a work culture that reflects where the industry is going in a post covid world, which better represents better work-life balance and inclusivity.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Gabriella – I’d say memories of visiting my grandparent’s farm in Brazil are the most vivid. There’s an abundance of land, with lots of fruit trees, often fruits I’ve never tried before. I remember how dark it got at night. How quiet everything goes in rural Brazil on the edge of the rainforest. I’d see snakes, big cat tracks, tarantulas, etc. It really built an appreciation for food systems, and culture and connected me more to the land.
Ben – It’s a tie between the two. Every weekend I’d create art with my mom. She’s a very accomplished sculptor, painter, and any kind of art she’s ever tried. It was always her therapy and joy, and her investment in time doing that with me created something similar for me. My other favorite memory was playing baseball with my dad. He was the coach of my team, and he really taught me what it means to be a devoted father.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bebezitomn.com and www.ouropizza.com
- Instagram: @bebe.zito and @ouro.pizzaria
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bebezitoicecream
Image Credits
Alexander Just and Ben Spangler
