Teatro proprietor Dario Berloni makes method for Arts Commons mission, and daughter as firm president

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Some theatres have loved long-running exhibits, Calgary’s Teatro — theatre in Italian — has been a celebrated a part of our theatre and humanities district for 30 years. And nonetheless thrives, though its patio act will finish this summer season to make room for the Arts Commons Transformation (ACT).

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Restaurant proprietor Dario Berloni says he welcomes the essential downtown mission to deal with the undesirable use and neglect of Olympic Plaza, however hopes the town shall be respectful of the fragility of the historic Dominion Financial institution Constructing and of his a long time of hospitality.

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The restaurant’s residence shall be dwarfed by the huge growth; hopefully it’s going to stay as a landmark constructing, valued as an intact and uncommon instance of an Edwardian-era temple financial institution. It was in-built 1911 as a three-storey financial institution — one other flooring was added later — of sandstone and marble with a terra cotta façade, a advantageous instance of Beaux Arts design.

Berloni acknowledged its historic significance to the town and, being throughout from the Calgary Performing Arts Centre, was a super property to open a advantageous eating restaurant to serve modern Italian delicacies.

He bought the constructing in 1989 and opened Teatro in 1993.

Berloni says metropolis planners inspired him to open the patio on Olympic Plaza, and he trusts the town and designers of the brand new growth will honour the long-lasting piece of the town’s historical past.

Berloni was born in Italy however educated at Concordia College in Montreal, and armed together with his enterprise administration diploma moved west to turn into vice-president of a plastics recycling firm in Purple Deer. After relocating to Calgary, he had an curiosity within the Mescalero Group and opened his dream restaurant at a time when the near-dilapidated outdated financial institution constructing was on the not-well-visited east finish of 8^th Avenue S.E.

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His religion within the location and his deal with offering the perfect experiences of meals and wines has enabled him to serve seven dinners and 5 lunches each week for Teatro’s lengthy historical past.

Being a former financial institution, the constructing has a big basement vault the place the restaurant’s large wine assortment is stored. The biggest within the metropolis, it’s stored at 10,000 bottles representing greater than 750 labels saved within the temperature-controlled cellar. The entire wine has, and continues to be, purchased at time of launch.

The a part of the constructing dealing with onto 1^st Road S.E. was for a few years leased to a different restaurant, however in 2007 Berloni transformed it into the Opera Room, an unique non-public eating house with its personal entrance entrance that seats 50 friends or can accommodate as much as 100 at a cocktail reception.

Purposeful progress inside the restaurant trade noticed Berloni purchase one other heritage constructing in Sunnyside, the place he opened Vendome Café and its neighbour ice cream and doughnut store Holy Cow. When 8^th Avenue Place was constructed, he took benefit of the massive new tower and its giant worker rely to open Cuccina, a grab-and-go bistro on the bottom flooring. Its success induced him to open one other location for Alforno Bakery, adopted by E.A.T. (Eight Avenue Trattoria).

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The unique Alforno Bakery & Cafe was opened in Eau Claire offering all the fresh-made-daily baked items to Teatro, since then others have opened within the authentic Mescalero house at 1327 1^st Road S.W. and within the Livingston Place.

Its been a beautiful expertise and large supply of delight for Berloni in making a vacation spot advantageous eating institution and restaurant group — he was awarded 2022 Unbiased Restaurateur of the Yr — however now’s the time handy over the reins to a youthful era and has appointed his daughter Mia as president of the corporate.

Mia Berloni has been working for her father since she was 18, together with summer season work whereas she was attending Queen’s College in Toronto. Acquainted with all facets of the enterprise, together with a spell as basic supervisor of Alforno, she is taking up accountability for a big worker rely of 61 at Teatro and just below 200 within the group’s holdings.

Dario Berloni says he may be known as chairman, however will little question be spending a great deal of well-earned time at his different residence on the Adriatic Sea.

David Parker seems repeatedly within the Herald. Learn his columns on-line at calgaryherald.com/enterprise. He will be reached at 403-830-4622 or by e mail at [email protected]