The Silver Spring, Md.-based Manny and Olga's Pizza has gained such popularity in the area that the company is opening two new locations in Northeast D.C. by the end of the summer.
The first location, at 1409 H Street NE, will be a small endeavor of just take-out and delivery.
"We're only looking at about 650 square feet of space," says Jim Bannahan, franchise and communications director for Manny and Olga's, adding there will only be about three to six employees working at any given time.
The new pizzeria will be a welcome change from the vacant storefront that has been sitting there for a couple years. Pizza lovers can expect to be ordering fresh pies by mid-May, says Bannahan.
An 1100-square-foot location will open by late summer on 2117 Rhode Island Avenue NE, also in a previously vacant space, and will have outdoor and indoor seating.
Both locations are franchises with different owners and delivering to approximately a three-mile radius. No beer or wine will be served at either location.
Manny and Olga's will have some stiff competition in the H Street corridor with nearby H & Pizza, New Citipizza and Marvelous Pizza running high on the local fav list. Their Rhode Island spot comes on the heels of news of more Rhode Island Ave openings, including dance studio CapoeiraDC and Zeke's Coffee.
Lisa Spinelli is Elevation DC's development editor as well as a freelance journalist, copy editor and mother of two. After receiving her Master of Science in print journalism from Columbia University in 2004, Lisa worked across the country and in Italy as a journalist, editor and Web editor. Her website
LisaSpinelli.com has links to a smattering of her published clips.