THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 18, 1995 TAG: 9509160001
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Successful entrepreneurs see an unmet need - and meet it.
Five Norfolk teenagers knew there was a need for pizza delivery to the public-housing neighborhoods of Roberts Village and Bowling Green, because they couldn't order pizzas there. The communities had been abandoned by pizza companies after their drivers were assaulted and robbed.
As staff writer Larry W. Brown reported Thursday, the five teenagers have formed Pizza-Ria!, with the motto, ``It's fresh! It's good! It's from the hood.''
The company is co-sponsored by Pizza Hut, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the Roberts Village Tenant Management Corp.
The youths are starting small, and as safely as possible. They struck a deal to buy two flavors of large pizzas - extra cheese and pepperoni - at a discount from Pizza Hut. They'll realize a small profit when they sell the pizzas for $12 or $1.50 a slice.
When an order is called in to Pizza-Ria!, the youths will fetch it from Pizza Hut and deliver it to the Roberts Village Adult Center, where the customer can pick it up. The service will be available on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a police officer on duty at the center. The youths will avoid the dangers of door-to-door delivery while getting a crash course in the ups and downs of business.
Residents of Roberts Village and nearby Bowling Green should give the youths their full support and in fact help look out for their safety.
The five entrepreneurs are William Gainer, April Reyes, Cheneil Goodman, Nicole Baker and Ernest Parker. We wish them long and successful careers. by CNB