With profit margins as thin as a New York cake, the pizza business is highly competitive. But in Las Vegas that doesn’t mean cutthroat.
Southern Nevada pizzeria owners often support each other informally and through The Las Vegas Pizza Alliance, sharing culinary and business advice as they navigate today’s troubled economy.
Metro Pizza owner John “the Don of Cheese” Arena with five restaurants in southern Nevada is an institution in the Las Vegas pizza business. Its location on Decatur Boulevard and Flamingo Road has been there since its “Miami Vice” decor was current rather than retro.
“Obviously, that kind of longevity is very rare in our industry,” said Arena, adding that one of his employees started when he was 14 and had just turned 50.
Arena told State of Nevada that everything from the familiar pizzeria setup to having customers customizing their pies helps make pizza collaborative as it is made.
“There’s a collaboration between the person who orders the pizza and the person who makes the pizza,” said Arena. “The pizza becomes an expression of who the guest is and who the pizza maker is.”
Pizzeria owner Vincent Rotolo said Arena is known in the industry as a “pizza wizard” because he can help other restaurateurs overcome challenges in the industry.
“When someone so well respected in the industry takes the time just to take your calls and be your friend, you feel worthy to be part of the industry,” said Rotolo, the downtown Las good pie Vegas owned. “John has several busy places, but he made time for me and dozens of other up and coming pizza makers.”
This commitment led to the founding of the Las Vegas Pizza Alliance, a group of around two dozen restaurateurs from the south. Rotolo said the organization is sharing best practices and promoting events, including the Las Vegas Pizza Festival, which was held once before the pandemic and is in the early stages of revitalization.
