Had the pleasure of hosting Mario Marovic on the podcast, where he shared his inspiring journey from his parents' immigrant roots to the successful restaurateur known simply as "MARIO" in Newport Beach, CA.
0:30 -
Sunset 17 TV & Podcast Studio wedged in between two of Mario's restaurants (
Wild Goose Tavern and
Playa Mesa Mexican Kitchen.
1:00 - "MARIO" a one-name identity in Newport Beach, CA
1:30 - Parents immigrants from Croatia circa 1960
2:30 - Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Serbia (all formed into Yugoslavia)
3:16 - Father AWOL and walked from Slovenia to Italy and trained to Paris, then Germany
3:45 - Filled out paperwork at US Embassy- Catholic Charity sponsored him to move to USA
4:00 - Mother was also from Croatia (met in Cleveland)
5:00 - Moved to Los Angeles in 70's - worked
5:30 - Opportunity to buy an existing tavern (in Anaheim) The Wild Goose Tavern
6:00 - Mario and his brother and sister grow up in the restaurant/bar in Anaheim
8:00 - MBA from USC and then went into banking (Silicon Valley Bank)
8:40 - Quit banking and went into restaurant business
9:00 - Opened first restaurant
The District Lounge (2004) - City of Orange
9:20 - Second restaurant Landmark Steakhouse (2005) - Corona del Mar
13:00 - Bought iconic pub
Malarky's Irish Pub from Hamilton family
14:00 - Today total 16 bar/restaurants (some with partner
Andrew Gabriel)
16:00 - Business or running bars/restaurants
16:45 - Uses
Toast POS (replaced Aloha POS)
19:30 - Uses
Restaurant365 (replaced Quickbooks)
20:00 - Next for Mario, two big expansion projects (Malarky's Irish Pub and Muldoon's Irish Pub)
Thank you, Mario, for being on the podcast.