NEPA Pizza Review is Off to a Hot Start in 2021!

NEPA Pizza Review in the Scranton Times and Citizens’ Voice Newspapers.

After Nearly 9 Years of Covering Local Pizza, NEPA Pizza Review is Suddenly in the Spotlight

Thoughts on Local Pizza Blog Being in the Spotlight…

NEPA Pizza Review was started as an idea, then it became a hobby, then a project, then my vision for it became clear and the mission and purpose was defined, and now it’s a way of life.  I didn’t found NEPA Pizza Review to become famous, nor do I desire to be in the spotlight, which may sound strange for someone who eats pizza on camera and puts it out there for the world to see.  

NEPA Pizza Review is about connecting people and pizza.  It’s about supporting small businesses by featuring their product and connecting them with people want to try new pizzas.  It’s about learning what consumers want and listening to owners’ challenges.  It’s about connecting dots, learning about pizza, making it, teaching it, elevating the game for local pizza.  

NEPA Pizza Review is about telling the story of the locals, because we have something special in the 570 that other places in the country do not.  We are unique, we are quirky, and we have awesome pizza and people who pour their blood, sweat and tears into making it.  Our area and niche styles of pizza like Old Forge and Pan Fried Sicilian deserve national attention and it is my goal to have those styles of pizza grow and roll off the tongue as easily as NY, Chicago, and Detroit styles of pizza.

As a person who just enjoys telling stories to the NEPA Nation (my readers) who come across my work and decide to read my articles or watch my videos, I’m totally satisfied with using nepapizzareview.com as my creative outlet and don’t seek additional media attention.  That’s not to say that I’m not extremely grateful when the opportunities present themselves.  

I am eternally grateful to have NEPA Pizza Review featured in the Scranton Times, Citizens Voice, Access NEPA, and WNEP-TV.  The story even made the FRONT PAGE of the Scranton Times  and WNEP was nice enough to include me in a story about heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine’s Day.  The response has been tremendous and has fueled some additional growth that heightens the awareness of local pizza and our wonderful family-owned businesses.  I also want to thank Doc and Jessie of Froggy 101.3 for having me on the airwaves weekly talking pizza for a year.  

The local media can be a great place to help tell stories in our community.  I don’t see myself as “media” – just a guy with a cell phone, a laptop and a pizza habit.  I do see myself as someone who is having fun doing something he loves in his spare time, and I am so very grateful and humbled by all of the support.  Thank you for the opportunities, thank you for the messages, comments, likes, shares, subscribes, and follows.  These social media metrics are a bit superficial in nature, but the powers that be – the algorithms say they are important to spreading the NEPA Pizza news so I embrace them and am thankful for all of the interactions.

In a pandemic when we can feel isolated, it is wonderful to receive so many messages and be able to talk pizza with readers new and existing.  It’s also nice to receive a boost from the local news media so that NEPA Pizza Review can use its elevated platform to give local businesses a boost by featuring their pizzas.  I’d like to extend a special thank you to Robert Tomkavage for writing a wonderful article and Chealsea Strub for including me in her story on WNEP-TV.  I’d also like to thank everyone for voted for NEPA Pizza Review as Best Local YouTube Star and Blogger.  It is very cool to be recognized for all the efforts and I continue to be humbled and amazed by all of the support you’ve shown.

Thank you so very much NEPA Nation!  You’re amazing!  Check out the articles referenced below to to see the local media coverage.