Papa John's Invades Neighborhood Pizzeria's Turf

Posted by Ed Levine, August 6, 2007 at 8:00 AM

In a move that reflects local food and national trends and the de-evolution of the foodscape, Papa John's is opening a store in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, right next door to a beloved local pizzeria, Johnny's:

"This is the best pizza in the area," said Roger Ramos, a postal worker who grew up nearby. "Papa John's is just generic. Why are they coming here? Greed? I don't know."

"If we get short on cheese or tomatoes, we go to him or he comes to us," said Gino Campese, the owner of Scotti's Pizza. "When it's time to raise prices, we get together. There's room for everybody. But not for Papa John's."

Pizza lovers in other New York neighborhoods have also experienced the chain incursion. Domino's has a store on West 72nd Street, but its closest competitor is a few stores down. And, unlike Johnny's, that competitor is itself a minichain serving generic pizza, City Pie.

House of Pizza and Calzones in Red Hook, home to fine slices and perhaps the best traditional (fried) calzones in the city, has had to compete with a Papa John's for a few years now. In the end, people will vote with their taste buds and their wallets. My guess is that high school kids and others looking to save money will get their pizza from Papa John's, which will undoubtedly undersell Johnny's. But anyone who wants an honest New York slice on Fifth Avenue in Sunset Park will continue to patronize and support Johnny's.

Johnny's Pizzeria
Address: 5806 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11220 (b/n 58th and 59th streets; map)
Phone: 718-492-9735

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Tags: Brooklyn, chain pizza, Johnny's Pizza, NYC, Papa John's, Sunset Park