‘Burnt out’ Ricky makes difficult decision to close down restaurant
Ricky with his colleague, John Carter who has been in the family business since 1988. Photo: Michael O'Rourke Photography
THE family behind Cibo in Carlow town, who have been operating Italian restaurants in the town for 46 years, announced yesterday, Monday 28 September that they will be closing down for good tomorrow.
Ricky Tavolieri, whose parents first established Pizza Dante on Dublin Street in 1981, said that the decision had been a long time coming as it had become increasingly challenging to keep the business afloat.
“I have to work two jobs to keep the doors open, which is seven days a week away from the kids,” Ricky said.
The announcement was made on Cibo’s social media channels, with Ricky thanking all those who had worked in the family’s various businesses and the customers who have supported them.
One of their most loyal colleagues is John Carter who has been working with the family since 1988.
Alongside the restaurant, Cibo owns a truck that Ricky had fitted out with a pizza oven so he could work events like Electric Picnic and Carlow Arts Festival. He said that the cost of running their brick-and-mortar restaurant on Kennedy Avenue in Carlow town has become so expensive that he has been keeping the business afloat through additional income from working events.
In order to turn a profit, Ricky said: “I should be charging €7.50 for a coffee, €23 for a pizza and €13 for a wrap and that’s not possible.” Ricky said that a combination of factors has made running a family business impossible at present.
“There will be no family businesses, small traders like mine in the next couple of years,” Ricky said.
He pointed to the lack of footfall in Carlow town centre and criticised decision makers in government and the council for not consulting business people when creating legislation, particularly around street design.
“These lads that are in charge have never run a business before,” Ricky said. “I don’t know how they are able to make decisions for people without actually consulting anyone in business.” While Ricky said that he didn’t have the answers for what the government or council could do to support small businesses, he expressed frustration that the money they receive from tax is not going back into communities.
“Money is being thrown to the wrong people. When your own people don’t look after you, then we’re in trouble,” Ricky said.
Personally, the stress of trying to keep Cibo’s open has taken a great toll on Ricky and his young family as he was required to work long hours. He said that only last week he missed his youngest son’s first football match because of work.
“My kid said to me one time ‘will you be home for Christmas’?” Ricky said.
Ricky now plans to spend some time at home with his family before deciding his next move. He described himself as “burnt out” and said that the last thing he wanted was for his children to inherit the business and live with the stress and hardship that keeping it afloat entails.
