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2009-11-20

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, October 23, 2009 12:00 PM

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Darek Graves, future manager of Buzzard’s Pizza in Wellsville, paints the interior of what will be a new Buzzard’s location in Wellsville at 430 Main St. Tuesday evening. The new pizza shop will open in early November, Graves said.

Buzzard’s Pizza business expanding to Wellsville

By LINDA BROWN, Herald Staff Writer

WELLSVILLE — Family attracts families. At least that’s been Bob Neill’s impression over the years as he’s watched his family’s pizza business expand from one store to five, and soon to six.

Neill, owner of Buzzard’s Pizza in Pomona, has spent the past four weeks laying the groundwork for the opening of his second pizzeria, this one in Wellsville.

“A lot of family and friends pushed toward opening a shop in Wellsville,” Neill said. “My sister told me Simple Simon’s Pizza was closing, and it was time to make my move. The people in Wellsville seem very excited, and everyone I talk to tells me they just can’t wait.”

Neill plans to open what he has started calling “The Mini-Buzz” Nov. 2 at 430 Main St., the former Simple Simon’s location.

“For people who have been to our expanded shop in Pomona, this one will look kind of small,” Neill said, explaining his nickname for the Wellsville location.

“We’ve spent the past four weeks remodeling the whole building,” he said.

The dining room has new paint, carpet and wainscoting, along with new tables and chairs. But it’s in the kitchen people will notice the biggest difference.

“That’s what folks will see immediately when they come in,” Neill said. “I like to have the kitchen open so people can see what we’re doing, and so I can keep an eye on what’s going on.”

Neill bought the Pomona shop from his cousin, Linda Thompson, in 1999 after working for her for eight years.

Thompson continues to own Buzzard’s locations in Lyndon and Osage City and her daughter owns Buzzard’s Pizza in Holton and Topeka.

Neill’s niece, Emily Graves, and her husband, Darek, will manage the Wellsville shop.

“It’s nice having us all connected by family, but separate, too,” Neill said. “We all use the same ingredients. We’ve all learned to make pizzas the same way.”

Neill said the secret to their success is that they never measure anything.

“The toppings are our ‘secret’,” he said. “We use lots of cheese and we build by sight — not by the cup or the ounce. They’re always the same, but each one is different.”

The Wellsville location will have a small salad bar and will be completely non-smoking.

“That’s the way Darek and Emily wanted it to be from the beginning, and I agreed,” Neill said. “That’s probably the way of things anyway, and by being non-smoking from the start we won’t have to take anything away from our customers down the road.”

The Wellsville shop hours will be the same as the Pomona location, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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Buzzard’s Pizza business expanding to Wellsville

By LINDA BROWN, Herald Staff Writer

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.