Dominick's Pizza In Parkville Back In Business 6 Months After Destructive Fire
PARKVILLE, Md. (WJZ)— When you think of pizza and Parkville, you think of Dominick's. The Harford Road landmark was gutted by fire nearly seven months ago.
But as Ron Matz reports, the popular carry-out has just re-opened and customers and employees couldn't be happier.
The pizza is back. Danny is doing the pies. They're popping the parmesan in Parkville once again. The phones are ringing. Dominick's is back in business. Customers are saying, "Welcome back."
"I got a Dominick's pizza, best pizza in town. They're back. Hallelujah. This is where I get my pizza all the time," said Rick, customer.
Fire gutted this popular carry-out in the early morning hours of June 22.
"It was devastating," said Joanne Pelle, assistant manager. "There were a lot of tears that morning. It hurt. It was very sad."
It's a day co-owner Bob Plante will never forget.
"Well, I got a phone call from my business partner at 6 in the morning (June 22) telling me the store was on fire, so I came down and it was gutted," said Plante. "Twenty years for me being here and my business partner as well, and basically everything was gone in 12 minutes."
But they've risen from the ashes.
"We were here every day for six and a half months," Plante said. "Hard work and we're happy to be back doing what we love to do."
After all, Dominick's has been a slice of life in Parkville since 1963. Six months of hard work has paid off with a brand new look.
"I'm so happy to be back to work," Pelle said. "It's been a long six months. We are back, and we're stronger and we're better than ever."
It's not just about pizza here, Dominick's delivers a lot more to the Parkville community.
"It's more than just a pizza shop," Pelle said. "It's a home. It's part of the community. It's important for us to be here and to be out there and help people."
No one was injured in the fire, which investigators say started when a fan used to cool the pizza oven compressors overheated.
