1851

Michael Ciapciak has always had a passion for restaurants. That&rsquo;s why after graduating college, he moved to New York to pursue a career in the industry. To say he gained valuable experience would be an understatement&mdash;Ciapciak worked for some of the industry&rsquo;s biggest names, including Danny Meyer and Dan Barber. And even though he parlayed those jobs into a role as a top tier restaurant and hotel critic, there was never any doubt that Ciapciak was eventually making his way back to restaurants.

&ldquo;When I was working as a critic, as I was constantly eating at the best fine dining restaurants around the world. But I always found myself wandering around whatever city I was in looking for those under the radar spots that have the best food and culture. I knew right away that was the type of place I wanted to open myself,&rdquo; Ciapciak said.

Today, it&rsquo;s clear that Ciapciak&rsquo;s restaurant&mdash;Bang Bang Pie&mdash;has become just that. With a menu that boasts sweet, savory and seasonal pies and biscuits, Bang Bang Pie is one of Chicago&rsquo;s hottest neighborhood spots. But it&rsquo;s not just the food that makes the restaurant so successful&mdash;Bang Bang Pie is equally committed to its atmosphere.

Even though the restaurant is nationally recognized, Bang Bang Pie is casual and low key at its core. When there aren&rsquo;t lines wrapped around the block on weekends, customers stop by the restaurant every morning on their way to work for their daily cup of coffee.

&ldquo;I want every member of my team to form direct relationships with our guests. If you&rsquo;re a regular, our staff will know your go-to order before you make it to the front of the line. That&rsquo;s what makes Bang Bang Pie unique, and it&rsquo;s how we stay ahead of the competition,&rdquo; said Ciapciak. &ldquo;What we do best&mdash;pies and biscuits&mdash;isn&rsquo;t as common here in Chicago as it is in the South. Our mission is to put our own twist on those classics, and then serve them in an unbeatable environment.&rdquo;

Consumers were quick to make Bang Bang Pie a hit. The brand&rsquo;s original location in Logan Square was so popular that the brand opened a second restaurant in Ravenswood. Its products are also sold in about 40 different restaurants across the city. But for Ciapciak, this is just the beginning. Over the next five to ten years, he wants to see Bang Bang Pie continue to expand its reach. However, that doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean opening more locations.

&ldquo;If the space, neighborhood and people were right, I would absolutely open up another Bang Bang Pie for business. But I don&rsquo;t want to lose the intimacy that the restaurant currently provides&mdash;I don&rsquo;t want it to be too big. As soon as we lose our signature vibe, there&rsquo;s no point in continuing to grow,&rdquo; Ciapciak said. &ldquo;Every decision that I make has to stay true and authentic to the brand. We obviously need to bring in money, but that&rsquo;s not the main thing that&rsquo;s determining which steps I&rsquo;m willing to take.&rdquo;

So far, Ciapciak&rsquo;s commitment to upholding the integrity of the Bang Bang Pie brand has proven to be successful. While he attributes some of that success to good fortune and timing, Ciapciak says its creating a positive culture is ultimately what makes all the difference.

&ldquo;Managing people is one of the most challenging parts of being an entrepreneur. But building the right team around you is absolutely essential if you want to create something that lasts. You can&rsquo;t do it yourself,&rdquo; said Ciapciak. &ldquo;I knew going into this business that I wasn&rsquo;t going to be an overnight success. Seeing a return on your investment takes a while. But in my experience, the best return on your investment comes from seeing a happy customer, not what&rsquo;s listed on the bottom of your P&amp;L list.&rdquo;

Young Entrepreneurs: Michael Ciapciak of Bang Bang Pie

1851 Franchise

Quality food and innovative recipes aren’t the only things keeping customers coming back to Bang Bang Pie.


young-entrepreneurs-michael-ciapciak-of-bang-bang-pie

Mosquito Squad Plus

image of mosquito squad franchise investment opportunity

Top 5 Reasons To Invest in a Mosquito Squad Plus Franchise Right Now

top-5-reasons-invest-mosquito-squad-franchise

Sola Salons

image of sola salons franchisees marc barber and wesley staples 

Real Estate Professionals and Sola Salons Owners To Share Growth Journey in Upcoming Webinar

real-estate-to-sola-salons-franchise-webinar

DoodyCalls

Why DoodyCalls Is Cleaning Up in the Pet Waste Industry

why-doodycalls-is-cleaning-up-in-the-pet-waste-industry

What Makes DoodyCalls Every Dog Owner's Best Friend 

doodycalls-pet-waste-removal-benefits

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Photo of two HomeTeam team members speaking with person in white top and black skirt

Investing in Your Future: What Does It Take To Own a HomeTeam Inspection Service Franchise?

hometeam-franchise-investment

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

McDonald’s Rolls Out Major Value Push To Win Back Customers Amid Inflation

mcdonalds-rolls-out-major-value-push-to-win-back-customers-amid-inflation

Photo of Paris Baguette pastries and beverages 

Paris Baguette Celebrates 250th Café Opening in Frederick, Maryland, Accelerating Expansion and Reviving the Neighborhood Bakery Café

paris-baguette-250th-north-america-cafe

Restaurant Chains Open Their Wallets To Jump-Start Franchise Growth - 1851 Franchise

Restaurant Chains Open Their Wallets To Jump-Start Franchise Growth

restaurant-franchise-incentives-cash-royalty-holidays-fee-reductions

U.S. Budget Deficit Rises as Tariff Revenues Increase — Potential Considerations for Franchising

us-budget-deficit-rises-as-tariff-revenues-increase-potential-considerations-for-franchising

Dickey's Franchisee Backlash - Lawsuits - Disputes - 1851 Franchise

Texas-Based Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Grapples with Franchisee Backlash

dickeys-barbecue-pit-franchisee-lawsuits

Photo of a large group of people standing in a circle, placing hands together in center

Franchise Opportunities for Minorities: Expanding the Franchise Network

franchise-opportunities-for-minorities

Mike Revak - Chief Business Officer - Sky Zone - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Mike Revak — President and Chief Business Officer, Sky Zone

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-mike-revak-chief-business-officer-sky-zone

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Jack Mashini — Co-Founder, Wing Snob

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-jack-mashini-co-founder-wing-snob

What It Really Means to Franchise Your Business   

what-it-really-means-to-franchise-your-business

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

Young Entrepreneurs: Michael Ciapciak of Bang Bang Pie

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS