EricS.

grotto-boardwalk

Dominick Pulieri co-founded this Midatlantic powerhouse when he was just 17 years old and has since expanded it to nearly 20 stores in three states.

After honing his skills as a teenager at his brother-in-law’s pizzeria in Pennsylvania, Dominick Pulieri opened a tiny slice stand with his sister and brother-in-law, Joe and Mary Jean Paglianite, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Grotto Pizza (grottopizza.com) was born. The early days were challenging, as most locals weren’t familiar with the Italian staple—but, thankfully, an influx of D.C.-area tourists (plus constant sidewalk sampling) helped bring in business. “We had humble and primitive beginnings, with takeout only, no tables and a used oven,” Pulieri recalls. “We opened in June 1960, and business started picking up around the Fourth of July.” He made $99 on July 1 and broke $100 for the first time on July 2, his 18th birthday.

grotto-mixer

At first, the pizzeria was seasonal, open only in summer; Pulieri, a biology major, taught school the rest of the year. Still, expansion was inevitable: In 1963, a boardwalk location opened, and the original takeout stand moved closer to the boardwalk in 1967. Finally, in 1974, the restaurant became a year-round enterprise. “Another pizzeria had opened up in town, and I saw customers lined up around the block,” says Pulieri. Lesson learned: “If you don’t serve your market, someone else is going to,” he laughs.

grotto-windowOf course, growth necessitated minor tweaks, including switching to conveyor ovens (a must to keep up with high-volume demand) and establishing commissaries to maintain consistency. Today, with nearly 20 outposts in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, the pizzeria is a casual family restaurant with a full menu and sports bars at newer locations. As his operation continues to grow, Pulieri aims to formalize training systems, because his focus on employees has proven key to his success. “I always talk about Team Grotto,” he notes. “All of the employees are important, right down to the dishwashers. I’ll often pull them aside and thank them; they’re unsung heroes. I have people who have stayed with me for 25, 30 years.”

You can also credit his company’s longevity to his mantra of winning “one customer at a time,” which has built multiple generations of fans over the years. “I cherish seeing what it was and what it is now,” Pulieri says. “We’re not done growing; we haven’t even scratched the surface. The journey has been long, but it’s far from over!” —Tracy Morin

grottopizza.com


7 Comments

  1. Tom ColeReply
    July 18, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    We need Grotto pizza in Naples, Florida!!!

  2. Tom ColeReply
    July 18, 2015 at 8:41 pm

    We need Grotto pizza in Naples, Fl!!

  3. MattReply
    April 23, 2019 at 11:51 am

    Open up a Grotto Pizza in Tampa, FL!!

  4. JerryReply
    May 30, 2019 at 7:03 pm

    Grotto Pizza was originally from Harveys Lake, Pa.

    To the beach

    One summer day, a customer put an idea in Paglianite’s mind about opening a location in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, noting there was nothing like his business there. With the curiosity of a young man, Paglianite ventured to Rehoboth Beach to see for himself. There, he discovered an opportunity did exist. Paglianite developed a plan which would help a family member and bring his product into a different state.

    At the time, Paglianite’s brother-in-law, Dominick Pulieri, had just enrolled in King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. Paglianite felt having a small location in Rehoboth Beach with Pulieri running it would help pay for his tuition.

    Taking a leap of faith, Paglianite and Pulieri agreed and expanded. Moving into a new state created a challenge to build a brand name and tie the in-state and out-of-state restaurants together, Mascioli said. Paglianite assumed the name Grotto since the building on Harveys Lake was always referred to as “the Grotto”.

  5. MarkReply
    September 15, 2020 at 10:37 am

    I have been eating a Gotta Get a Grottos’s since 63 thanks to my Dad’s love for Rehoboth. Good people, Beautiful clean beaches and salt air make the pizza always taste better there.

  6. September 7, 2021 at 11:07 am

    […] and visitors insist on pursuing because it’s where beach memories originate. It is in the Pizza Hall of Fame, and now boasts 22 locations in Delaware, Maryland, and […]

  7. October 1, 2021 at 12:24 pm

    […] Pulieri was just 17 years old when he opened Grotto Pizza in 1960. The company has been inducted into PMQ’s Pizza Hall of […]

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