Pete’s Pizza: Family Owned, Operated and Oriented

Get to know one of the owners of Pete’s Pizza, Jodi Damron

Monday, October 28th, 2019 @ 21:00 (9:00pm)

Mineral Wells, WV

The exterior of Pete's Pizza in Mineral Wells, WV

Interviewer: Journalist/Reporter Jordan Spriggs (JS)

Interviewee: Owner Jodi Damron (JD)

Date and Time: Thursday, October 24th, 2019 17:00 (5:00pm)

Location: Pete’s Pizza in Mineral Wells, WV

JS: First off, thank you for agreeing to meet with me and for doing this interview.

JD: No problem, thank you for reaching out to do this.

JS: My first question for you is how long have you been in operation?

JD: We’ve been open since March 22nd, 2019.

JS: And how long have you resided in the Mid Ohio Valley?

JD: [I’ve lived here] all my life.

JS: Same here. Do you possess any particular passions or hobbies that led you to opening this particular kind of business?

JD: My love for community outreach. I assist with missions, food drives, helping the homeless, supporting underprivileged children, really anywhere I can help make a difference locally. I place a large emphasis on sponsoring children and providing assistance to youth in our community.

JS: That’s incredible Jodi. Can you tell me why you chose Mineral Wells as your location for your business?

JD: It needed one. There was literally nowhere else I wanted our business to be at but here. Not only was it convenient since [my husband] Rusty and I live in Mineral Wells ourselves, but my faith told me to keep our business close to home. Everything just fell into place.

JS: Any particular skills or unique upbringing that led to this type of service?

Chalkboard detailing Pete's Pizza's specials and upcoming events

JD: I have several years of business management experience and a personal interest in visual artistry. Rusty, my husband, worked at the Pizza House in Ritchie County for more than 20 years, and that also influenced our decision in opening our own pizzeria.

JS: What makes your pizzeria so unique that it stands out from other local businesses?

JD: Our focus on family. We are a family. And as far as we’re concerned, everyone else that comes into our restaurant is [a part of our family] as well.

JS: An excellent answer Jodi! Speaking of being unique, any reason why you chose a rustic decor for your business?

JD: It’s a personal passion of mine. I used to run a side business called Country Clutter.

JS: On the subject of personal interests, what is your favorite pizza topping?

JD: For me, mashed potatoes. And for my husband Rusty, ranch.

JS: How about the strangest pizza request you’ve ever received?

JD: For me, the spud pizza. Rusty says his has to be The Mullen, a pizza which we named after a regular customer kept coming in and ordering the same exact toppings.

JS: Tell me, how did you choose the name of your restaurant?

JD: The name Pete’s Pizza came after our son Jackson, whom at a young age was nicknamed Pete, and the name has stuck [with him] ever since.

Patrons enjoying their meals in the dining area at Pete's Pizza

JS: Are there any specials you are currently running?

JD: We offer a daily dinner special Monday through Friday, which is 2 large, 2 topping pizzas for only $20.

JS: Last question, Jodi. Do you have any upcoming events?

JD: Yes, several in fact! We have Bonfire Fridays with s’mores by a campfire.

We have live music on Saturdays from 6-9pm. On October 25th, we are starting a ghost pepper wings challenge, if you can eat eight (8) ghost pepper wings you win a free t-shirt.

And finally, on November 1st, we are having Pete’s Keepsakes, an initiative for foster kids where there is a closet of keepsakes for the child to choose and keep.

JS: That’s a great itinerary of upcoming and current events you folks have here.

Jodi, thank you so much for your time today, I appreciate it greatly! I may have to drop by in the near future for that wings challenge.

JD: Thank you for the interview, you’re welcome at Pete’s Pizza anytime.

This cute little ornament can be found outside at Pete's Pizza

Pete's Pizza - Primary signage adjacent to the road