Meet Frank Vairo of Nook Kitchen in Downtown Phoenix and Arcadia East Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Frank Vairo.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Frank. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my career at the iconic and now-defunct Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz World Wine Bar in Old Town Scottsdale. I worked as a barback and slowly worked my way up to bartender and eventually bar manager at Kazbar. After working there nine years, I decided to try and do it on my own, raise capital and own my first restaurant. I opened my first concept in 2010, in Cave Creek, which was a total struggle do to the area and tough economy. Thankfully, in 2013, I was able to sell that location and three months later, I secured my first location of Nook Kitchen in Phoenix (Arcadia).

Shortly after the success of Nook, nine months later, I was able to buy the neighboring legendary dive bar, Dilly Dally. The ball was finally rolling and led to even greater things. Dilly Dally, located five doors down from the original Nook, took off and was very successful. Two years after the purchase of Dilly, I opened my flagship Nook location in Downtown Phoenix, inside the Hilton Garden Inn, in downtown Phoenix. The location opened to rave reviews and was a hit from the beginning. The downtown location opened many other doors and I went on to purchase two other bars and revamp the original Nook Arcadia, just six blocks up the street, in a bigger space and more chic design. It has been a hell of a ride and I’m excited to see what the future holds!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been anything but smooth! In the early years, the market was tough do to the struggling economy and high rents. I have had partners and lost partners along the way but I have grown through my experiences and learned valuable life lessons. Every day in this business is a struggle. Staffing is nearly impossible, the constant rise of minimum wage and the never-ending rise of food cost, really makes your profit margins hard to attain.

Nook Kitchen – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My company is very “mom & pop,” even though we are growing at a rapid rate. I have five concepts, all completely different but the one thing they all have in common is the family feel. We are all brothers and sisters, trying to create the best possible experiences for the guests. The Nook locations specialize in fresh ingredients, handmade pastas and ridiculously good Neapolitan style pizza! Personally, I oversee all operations and help the success of the concepts and spearhead the conceptual outlay and execution of each and every concept. I am extremely proud of the fact that I have around 80 employees and these people are happy enough to call one of these concepts they’re home.

That is very gratifying and allows me to pursue other endeavors in other communities and touch all different walks of life throughout this wonderful journey. What sets us apart from other restaurants is we are the total package. We may not have the money behind us like some of the big dogs in the valley but we do have the passion, design, quality food and ambiance. We are the total package when it comes to a fun dining experience. Plus, our chef, Nick LaRosa, recently won Food Network’s “CHOPPED” and not many local restaurants have that feather in their cap. I am extremely proud of him and his growth in the last six-plus years!

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I can’t say there is one moment that has stood out and that was the moment that defined me. I would say it’s the whole body of work. The willpower to keep pushing and focusing on the prize and not giving up when others would typically fold. The proudest moments are when I reflect with my core team and we see our staff and guests enjoying the concepts we have created and sharing the stories we have endured as a family to get to where we are at today. It is quite an accomplishment.

Contact Info:

• Address: 15 E. Monroe St., Phx 85004
  4231 E Indian School Rd. 85018
• Website: nookkitchen.com
• Phone: 602-258-1037
• Email: info@nookkitchen.com
• Instagram: nookkitchen or nookkitchendowntown
• Facebook: nookkitchen.com
• Twitter: @nookkitchen
• Yelp: nook kitchen

Image Credit:
Nicholas Kulyniak

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