New Pizzeria Begins with Childhood Dream
Longmeadow, Mass. - Frank Ferrentino’s life has always revolved around pizza. At eight he began working in his dad’s pizza shop in Springfield, folding boxes and sweeping floors, with a dream to someday have his own location.
That dream became reality on January 3 when Frankie’s Pizza opened in Longmeadow. The pizzeria has been a long time coming as he waited for the right location in his hometown.
“It’s almost surreal. When you want something for so long, and the opportunity finally presents itself, you have to take it,” Ferrentino said.
Ferrentino has known for a while exactly how he’d start marketing his business. His first priority was to engage the StandOut Truck®, an idea he saw several years ago and knew it would effectively reach his audience.
“When I heard about the concept and saw it on Facebook, I knew I really wanted to be a part of it,” he said. “It’s so different.
Bringing the truck into his marketing mix was an easy decision. The uniqueness of the marketing program aligns with Ferrentino’s own goals.
“I like to stand out a little bit,” he added.
The Recipes for Success
Although Ferrentino’s extended family has taken over his father’s pizzeria in Springfield, Frankie’s Pizza continues to meld family recipes with Ferrentino’s own twist.
“It has to show a version of your personality, that’s what I think about pizza,” he said. “It’s got to be fresh, it’s got to be crispy.”
Though many recipes originated with his parents, Ferrentino adapts them for unique variations. One of his favorites is Hot Honey Pizza, with unique options like The Fry Pizza and Clams Casino Pizza.
The menu even extends beyond pizza with grinders, salads, wings and fried cheese, made with a secret recipe that his mother currently oversees. He said she’s not ready to share the entire recipe and process with anyone else.
All of the ingredients are fresh, with Ferrentino proudly sourcing local ingredients whenever possible. The pizza oven, purchased in New York, is important to the final product. Finding the best stone-baked oven was a long process, but gives the pizza an extra crispiness critical to making his pizza special.
Ferrentino is confident this these touches make his the best pizza in the area.
Come Together
The pizzeria is primarily open for takeout, with a handful of tables inside. The small space allows Ferrentino the opportunity to speak directly with customers and get to know them. It’s all part of sharing his family’s enthusiasm for pizza
“We’ve been in business for over 40 years. We have a passion for pizza that’s untamable,” he said.
Bringing the rest of the family into the business is natural for Ferrentino, and he looks forward to one day including his own daughter. But first he’s taking wisdom from his father who opened Tony’s Pizza in 1979.
“I love opinions,” Ferrentino said. “At the end of the day it’s your own place, you’ve got to make it your own, you’ve got to make sure it works for you.”
Frankie’s Pizza is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Explore the menu at frankiespizza.net/
Make your own business STANDOUT with the StandOut Truck team. Find out how they can make a difference with your own business at standouttruck.com/contact
