Gayborhood residents and visitors got a late-night treat last weekend.
Brothers Andrew and Michael Cappelli dished out 200 free slices Friday and Saturday nights to mark the soft opening of their Pizzeria Cappelli, 209 S. 13th St., which celebrates its grand opening this weekend.
The new eatery is operating in the space of the defunct 13th Street Gourmet Pizza, known to locals as “Gay Pizza.” Licenses & Inspections shut the shop down abruptly in late June for not having paid licensing fees.
The new owners, who operate Cappelli Brothers Cigar Company next to the shop, were eager to preserve the longtime Gayborhood store.
“It’s been a staple of the neighborhood and, after it went out of business, we were forced to watch a lot of people walk by yelling and screaming that they couldn’t get late-night pizza,” Andrew Cappelli said. “It’s been a really important part of the neighborhood for 10 years so it was an obvious choice to keep it open.”
Andrew said both he and his brother have an extensive amount of experience in the food-service industry, from dishwashing in high school to cooking in college to managing bars.
“We both have many years in the hospitality business,” Andrew said.
The brothers brought on four employees, some of whom worked at the pizza shop a decade ago, before it came under its last owners.
“My brother’s been in the neighborhood for years and is friends with some of the employees who worked there before, so we brought them back,” said Andrew. “They were there when the place opened 10 years ago.”
The shop will concentrate on pizza, with slices starting at $3, with plans for wings in the future.
Andrew said the revived shop will offer quality products and service.
“It’s going to be fresher ingredients and service with a smile.”
Pizzeria Cappelli is open 4 p.m.-4 a.m. daily.
