West Virginia has its first Manhattan Pizza, and it landed in Inwood's Butler's Crossing shopping area on June 1. The new restaurant is run by brothers Jordan Whitehurst and Zach Zarou, co-owners who grew up in the pizza business together and picked the Eastern Panhandle because they kept seeing familiar faces from home moving into the area.
From Answering Phones to Owning the Store
Whitehurst and Zarou have spent most of their lives working in the pizza business, according to journal-news.net, with Whitehurst starting around age 8 and Zarou around age 6. Long before either brother had a stake in ownership, they were doing the unglamorous work that keeps a pizzeria running. “We started working in the kitchen, answering phones,” Whitehurst said, describing how the pair made steak and cheese subs and handled other restaurant tasks as kids.
That hands-on history shaped why they picked Inwood for the company's first West Virginia store. The brothers noticed people from their own area and local high schools relocating into the Eastern Panhandle, and they wanted to follow that migration with a familiar taste. Whitehurst described the Inwood spot as a good location and a great community, and he said the restaurant's initial turnout was very good.
A Soft Launch Before the Doors Fully Opened
Before the grand opening, the new Manhattan Pizza went through a soft-opening period that let staff train and prepare for the full launch, the report notes. The Inwood restaurant now offers dine-in, carryout and delivery, according to Manhattan Pizza's own site, which touts “award-winning service, amazing food, and multiple options to dine-in, carry out or delivery.”
The brothers say the community response since opening has been strong. That early momentum matters for a brand that's still building out its presence beyond Northern Virginia — the same article notes most Manhattan Pizza locations sit in Loudoun County, Virginia, with additional stores in Maryland, including one in Urbana, plus two locations in North Carolina. Inwood now marks the chain's first foothold in West Virginia.
Building Local Ties Beyond the Counter
Whitehurst and Zarou say they plan to become fixtures in the Inwood community, not just another quick-service option off the highway. The restaurant already has a partnership with South Berkeley Little League and is seeking one with Musselman High School as well. Whitehurst said the brothers want to get more involved with schools and the broader community, and the pair have said they intend to take part in fundraising activities aimed at helping local residents.
For two brothers who once answered phones and rolled subs as grade-schoolers, opening a store of their own in a new state carries a bit of symmetry. Whitehurst and Zarou cut the ribbon on the new Inwood location earlier this year, and they now find themselves running the first Manhattan Pizza west of the company's home turf, with plans to keep expanding their role in the community around Butler's Crossing.
