The Caminiti family, owners of Brooklyn South in Jetton Village, have opened Novanta 90 Pizzeria Napoletana in LangTree in Mooresville
Pizza. Even the word sounds delicious. Believe it or not, there were something like 75,000 pizza establishments in the United States in 2015, up 4 percent from 2012, according to Statista.com.
That works out to 4,200 Americans for every pizza parlor in all 50 states.
Cornelius is under-pizzaed any way you slice it: Ten places focusing on pizza, 28,000 residents, which means only 2,800 residents for every pizza place, franchise or independent, based right here in 28031 or within walking distance—we’re including Brixx in Birkdale Village and Fuel in Davidson.
The pizza business is pretty good; you make dough in more ways than one. Business expert Joe Vagnone, a small-business broker and adviser in Cornelius, says the food cost is less than for most other restaurant businesses, and the time to prepare is lower, too, translating into lower labor costs.
“It’s less than any other meal, and the time to prepare makes pizza almost fast food, which means volume is possible,” Vagnone says. Start-up costs are within reason, and a sharp entrepreneur can take advantage of the fact that plenty of good-paying and repeat customers eat their pies at home, which means less spent on brick and mortar.
There are even pizza trade magazines, like Pizza Today—not related to Cornelius Today, although we truly wish it was on deadline days. PQM Pizza Magazine, in the 2015 “Pizza Power” report, says the industry is worth $38 billion a year, around the same size as McDonald’s total revenue alone, but who wants to watch a football game at home with burgers from a fast-food joint?
Joel and Kelly Pfyffer opened Prosciutto’s Pizzeria a decade ago in Shops on the Green. An independent, family-owned business, the store is a magnet during sports events, thanks, in part, to plenty of flat-screen TVs. Joel says a good staff is one of the keys to operating the business the right way.
“You are only as good as the people you put in front of your customers, and we have been blessed,” he says. “Some of my staff have been here for 10 years.”
The report “Pizza Power” says the pizza restaurant industry has entered the “mature stage” of its life cycle. Many towns and cities have reached the limit of pizza restaurants that their populations can support.
“That makes it harder for operators to open new stores and for new operators to get into the business,” PMQ Pizza Magazine said in a recent article. “It also means that increasing sales-per-unit—rather than opening new stores—is a key driver of industry revenue.”
The Caminiti family, owners of Brooklyn South in Jetton Village, have opened Novanta 90 Pizzeria Napoletana in LangTree in Mooresville. Novanta means “90” in Italian, which is how many seconds it takes to bake a pizza—at 900 degrees—in the restaurant’s wood-fired ovens.
“The speed is not really the important part,” said Vincent Caminiti. Novanta 90 is their third pizza restaurant. They have around 75 employees.
The Caminitis’ three locations all utilize family recipes and fresh ingredients. But the upscale-casual Novanta best represents the slow food movement’s emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and traditional preparation.
“Our methodology goes back to the simple things in Italian cooking of hand-making fresh mozzarella, making ricotta cheese, making our own dough,” Caminiti said.
PMQ Pizza Magazine says independent operators account for much of the growth in the total number of pizza stores across the country. Meanwhile, telephone orders have leveled off; online orders have a bigger share of the pie. Today, ordering a hot, fresh pie can be as simple as a few taps of a smartphone app.
“We’re not making a million bucks, but I am enjoying what I am doing and we’re having fun,” Pfyffer says.
N=No delivery Y=Delivery
Brixx Pizza – N
Brixx, located in Huntersville’s Birkdale Village, is part of a chain that offers brick-oven pizza plus sandwiches, salads, pasta and a selection of craft beers. The chain, which began in 1998 with a location in Charlotte’s historic Dilworth neighborhood, now has more than 30 locations across the Southeast, with franchise opportunities for more.
16915 Birkdale Commons Parkway, Suite A/B, Huntersville
704-894-0044
Brooklyn South Pizzeria – N
Brooklyn South Pizzeria bills its food as being “as close to New York pizza as you can get.” A family-owned business run by Lucy and C. Vinent Caminiti, Brooklyn South has served the Lake Norman area since 1998. Its website says all dishes are prepared from family recipes and promises “the best pizzas, freshest salads and delicious Italian dishes.” It also offers catering for special events and online ordering for takeout.
19400 Jetton Road
704-997-2433
Domino’s Pizza – Y
This Cornelius location of the national pizza chain — which is currently running ads promoting the addition of salads to its menu — is located by Exit 28 near Fresh Market. In addition to delivery, it also offers a carry-out option.
20601 Torrence Chapel Road, Suite 109
704-897-8888
Fuel Pizza – Y
Fuel is just down the road on Main Street in Davidson. Its website touts fresh ingredients on a foldable crust with veggies hand-cut daily. Its menu also offers wings and garlic knots, as well as gluten-free and vegan options.
402 S. Main St., Davidson
704-655-3835
Hungry Howie’s Pizza – Y
The Lake Norman location of the national fast-casual chain famous for its flavored-crust pizza opened in September 2015. Michigan-based Hungry Howie’s has almost 600 locations in 21 states.
18059 W. Catawba Ave Suite 8
704-237-3810
Little Caesars Pizza – N
The national carry-out chain best-known for its $5 Hot-N-Ready Pizza, DEEP!DEEP! Dish Pizza and Italian Cheese Bread, is located next to the Circle K on Catawba Avenue. Little Caesars is the fastest-growing pizza chain in the U.S. based on the number of stores added between 2008 and 2015, according to the company’s website.
20008 W. Catawba Ave.
704-987-5123
Mama’s Pizza Express – Y
Mama’s Pizza Express promises authentic New York-style pies using fresh ingredients. It offers hand-tossed traditional pizzas with various toppings and more than a dozen kinds of gourmet pizzas, including Garlic Knot, Veggie Delite and the Italian Meat Lover’s.
19741 S. Main St.
704-892-3302
Pizza Hut – Y
The Cornelius location of the largest national pizza chain by market share offers delivery and carry-out options as well as a buffet for customers to want to dine in. In addition to pizza and pasta, the chain touts its Wingstreet Wings, which are hand-tossed and sauced in one of eight flavors.
20300 W. Catawba Ave.
704-896-0160
Prosciutto’s Pizzeria & Pub – Y
Prosciutto’s is a Boston-themed pizzeria offering brick-oven pizza. Joel and Kelly Pfyffer opened the Cornelius restaurant in 2005, and its independent, family-owned roots are still evident from the family members who work in the restaurant. In addition to pizza, other specialties at Prosciutto’s include made-to-order salads, sandwiches and wraps, overflowing pasta dishes, and wings. Prosciutto’s has video games and a play area for the kids and a non-smoking full bar for Mom and Dad.
20920 Torrence Chapel Road
704-439-4444
Village Inn Pizza – N
The family-owned Village Inn, whose Cornelius location is in the shopping center with Food Lion near Town Hall, got its start in 1967 when William “Ray” Lackey Sr. opened his first location in Statesville. Lackey credits his success to his use of the original recipe for his homemade sauce and dough. “It’s not the easiest way, or the big-chain approach, but it’s the best,” Village Inn’s website states.
20129 North Main St.
704-896-1606
