THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140360
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
Five teenagers went into business Wednesday, delivering pizza to residents of two neighborhoods abandoned by some companies after their drivers were assaulted and robbed.
The teenagers knew firsthand that there was a craving for the service: For a long time they've missed the luxury of picking up the phone and ordering a large pepperoni.
``I'm excited because it's finally going to happen after all this time,'' said William Gainer, 17, a resident of Roberts Village and a vice president of the new company, Pizza-Ria!
Their motto: ``It's Fresh! It's Good! It's From the Hood!''
The actions of a few have hurt all residents, Gainer said. He could not remember the last time he was able to call for a pizza.
``Just because we live in public housing,'' he said, ``I don't think we need to be neglected.''
The new delivery business will serve Roberts Village and Bowling Green. It works like this:
Pizza-seekers call Pizza-Ria! headquarters at the Roberts Village Adult Center to place their order. The teenagers relay the order to the Pizza Hut carry-out on 22nd Street, pick up the pizzas there and bring them to the Adult Center. Customers pick up their orders at the center.
The teens will not be going door to door with the food, and a police officer will be stationed inside the center.
``If something does happen, he'll be right here,'' said Pizza-Ria! president April Reyes, who lives in Chesterfield Heights.
Pizza-Ria! is co-sponsored by Pizza Hut, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the Roberts Village Tenant Management Corp. It will serve residents on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m.
The venture kicked off Wednesday with a pizza give-away and a ``teen speak-out'' with guests from city government and the community.
Jimmy White, the company's adviser, said the youths could not wait to get started.
``It's bringing the product into the community,'' said White, 45.
Pizza delivery is a convenient luxury to many neighborhoods in South Hampton Roads, but for residents in some housing projects the service has been nonexistent for many months.
Most major local pizza shops refuse to deliver to public housing communities and some high crime areas because of possible danger to drivers, who are easy targets for robbers. In the past few years, delivery drivers have been robbed, threatened, attacked and sometimes killed.
Jackie Baker, youth services coordinator for NRHA, said members of the agency's Youth Council wanted the chance to turn the punishment around. Pizza Hut, she said, ``wanted to do something without jeopardizing their deliverers.''
The council struck a deal with the Pizza Hut to buy two kinds of pizza - extra cheese and pepperoni - at a discount. Pizza-Ria!, making a small profit, sells the pizzas for $12, or $1.50 a slice.
Baker said they chose pizza because it was a product that the community was missing and one that attracted teens.
Five teenagers from the Youth Council - Cheneil Goodman, Nicole Baker, Ernest Parker, Gainer and Reyes - make up the business. Planning began a year ago.
Baker said the service will help teens learn about running a business and serving the community.
``I had to dedicate a whole bunch of my time,'' said Reyes, 14. ``It was difficult.''
Reyes said she hopes the business will expand into other housing communities. They plan to keep the business running until they pass it along to other teens.
``We hope to have more youth involved,'' Reyes said. ``Somehow we will.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/Staff
Quanessis Ricks, 18; April Reyes, 14; and Ernest Parker look over
paperwork before opening their business in Roberts Village. They
said their neighborhoods have suffered just because a few residents
are violent.
A crowd gathers outside the building that houses Pizza-Ria! The
small business gave away pizza Wednesday to celebrate its opening.
by CNB