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New pizza restaurant coming to Greystone

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Photo by Frank Couch.

Brian Shurtz and Paxton Eggler have been friends for years and had discussed opening a restaurant together for some time. They knew where they wanted it, but had to decide what type of restaurant it would be. After an extensive search, and looking at 10 different franchises, they decided to open the first Vocelli Pizza location in Alabama.

“It took us that long to find Vocelli Pizza,” Shurtz said. “We went through different groups. We liked it because the people are great, and the pizza is awesome. It also gives us a chance to deliver and do different things that other places don’t.”

The co-owners found the location they wanted and bought out the former Delicio’s Pizza in the Greystone area of U.S. 280, across from Lee Branch. Eggler already had experience on U.S. 280 as the owner of the Raceway gas station. 

“We wanted that location,” Shurtz said. “That’s where my partner and I saw as our prime area we wanted to go, and the space already had much of the equipment we would need.”

Based in Pittsburgh, Vocelli Pizza has been around for more than 40 years and has more than 100 franchises in the mid-Atlantic area as well as one in Florida. The U.S. 280 restaurant will be the only other location in the South.

One thing that sets Vocelli apart from other places is its pizzas are only artisan and thin crust, no deep dish. It also features some unusual styles of pizza, including basil pesto primavera, meat magnifico, original Buffalo chicken, chicken spinaci and Philly steak. 

Besides pizza, the menu features sandwiches on ciabatta, Italian and wheat bread, chicken tenders, oven-roasted wings, pasta, salads and Stromboli. Nothing on the menu is fried; everything is baked, even the steak sandwiches. Vocelli also makes its own dough.

Vocelli will be one of the few places around town that serves cannoli for dessert. It also has its signature Vocelli rolls, which are dough wrapped around fillings of pepperoni or bacon stuffed with mozzarella cheese and served with marinara sauce. Shurtz said he has plans to develop his own apple pie-style roll to give it a flavor of the South. 

 “I went through intensive training in Pittsburgh in February and March, learning to do it the way they want and how it’s supposed to be,” he said.

The restaurant will employ about 16 to 20 people. Many of those will be delivery drivers. Customers can order online and also sign up for email specials.

Shurtz said he hopes to expand the franchise and plans to open seven stores in the Birmingham market. He also is looking in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Huntsville and the Anniston/Oxford area. 

Vocelli Pizza

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