THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 20, 1996 TAG: 9609200566
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 94 lines
It began as a promising idea to fill an unfortunate void: forming a pizza-delivery business in two Norfolk public housing communities abandoned by delivery companies.
Now, one year later, that idea - fostered and run by five teen-agers - has brought in more than $15,000, helped send one teen-ager to college and brought both relief and achievement to Roberts Village and Bowling Green.
The business is called Pizza-Ria! Its motto: ``It's Fresh! It's Good! It's from the Hood!''
``I think it's been incredible, to tell you the truth,'' said Jackie Baker, youth services coordinator for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority. ``They're just high school kids, and they wanted to bring back a simple pleasure to the community.''
To celebrate their successful first year, on Thursday Pizza-Ria! threw a party, with all the toppings.
Hundreds of area residents turned out for the celebration, which featured not only pizza, but cake, finger sandwiches, chicken and thumping, bumping music.
All but one of the original founders are still with the business. One of them, William Gainer, said he has learned a lot about helping the community and teamwork.
``You can't do everything by yourself,'' said Gainer, 18. ``As long as you work as a team, you can get anything accomplished.''
Another member, Nicole Baker, said she also has learned how to interact with the neighborhood and support other youths in the housing communities.
``It's the starting point right here, and we have a lot more to accomplish,'' said Baker, 15.
While most small businesses don't make it in their first year, Pizza-Ria! has had $15,200 in sales. Its profits have added up to about $2,300. The rest has been used to keep the business running, to purchase warming ovens and a microwave and to pay off a loan to the NRHA.
The business also gave a $200 scholarship to a young woman from one of the housing communities to attend Norfolk State University.
``It was very demanding and stressful at times,'' said April Reyes, Pizza-Ria!'s president. But, she said, the success is just the beginning.
``If we can get this far, we can take more steps,'' said Reyes, 15.
Pizza delivery is a regular convenience to many neighborhoods in South Hampton Roads, but for residents in some housing complexes 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 the threat to drivers, some of whom have been robbed, threatened, attacked and killed in the past few years.
Pizza-Ria! works like this: Pizza-seekers call the company headquarters at the Roberts Village Adult Center to place their orders. The teen-agers relay the order to 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 do not go door to door with the food, but they will deliver to some elderly customers. Officer Tony Mitchell, a crime prevention police officer, is stationed inside the center.
Baker said with Pizza-Ria!, the youngsters hope to show local businesses they understand the policy of not delivering to public housing communities, but that residents still have a right to a food service.
The residents supported the business by flooding the phone lines with orders. They've asked the youths to cater functions and have offered suggestions on how to improve, and expand, Baker said.
This summer, Pizza-Ria! extended its hours and its menu to include hot dogs, hot sausages and cold drinks.
``Everybody's been supportive as much as they can,'' Baker said. ``People really like helping children.''
Cheneil Goodman, 16, smiled when thinking about how far the business has come. She said she knew the business would be a success.
``I'm happy we did make it,'' said Goodman, who lives in Roberts Village. ``We plan to go on to bigger and better things.'' MEMO: Pizza-Ria! is co-sponsored by Pizza Hut, the Norfolk Redevelopment
and Housing Authority and the Roberts Village Tenant Management Corp.
It serves residents on Mondays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. The number
is 533-9012. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Paulette Williams grooves to the music at the Pizza-Ria! anniversary
party, held at the Roberts Village Adult Center. The delivery
service operates by picking up pizzas from Pizza Hut and bringing
them to the center for residents to pick up.
Color photos by L. TODD SPENCER PHOTOS
Roberts Village residents Paulette Williams, 14, left, and Vena
Sanderlin, 15, were among those showing their pizza appreciation
Thursday at a party at the Roberts Village Adult Center.
At the Pizza-Ria! one-year anniversary, hundreds of area residents
munched on not only pizza, but finger sandwiches, chicken and cake
as Devon White, right, shows.
KEYWORDS: PIZZA DELIVERY PUBLIC HOUSING by CNB