Old Village General Pizza, the two-year-old sandwich-and-slice shop tucked inside a restored 1900s home in Plymouth's Old Village neighborhood, is on its way out after owner Anthony Giglio says his landlord won't renew the lease. The split follows months of friction between Giglio and his landlord that reportedly boiled over after a rowdy Halloween concert outside the shop.
According to WXYZ Channel 7, Giglio and his landlord both told the station that their ongoing tension came to a head after that Halloween show, when concert guests threw toilet paper into the trees outside the shop for fun. The landlord described the decision not to renew the lease as something other than a snap judgment, telling the station it was not a knee-jerk reaction.
Old Village General opened two years ago inside one of the neighborhood's original homes, located at 689 N. Mill Street, according to Hometown Life. The house was built in 1900 and restored by Giglio himself, and the shop built a following on a chalkboard menu of made-to-order sandwiches, pizza by the slice, and soft-serve ice cream.
A Renovation and a Risk That Paid Off
Giglio said he poured himself into the space after signing his two-year lease, renovating a portion of the century-old home into his own shop. He told the station the idea came from a gap he saw in the neighborhood.
“We didn't have a local pizza or like a local sandwich in Old Village. The property just kind of became available. I took a shot at it, and it's been a wild run,” Giglio said, per the same WXYZ account.
Beyond sandwiches and slices, the shop became something of a community gathering spot. The station's report notes that Old Village General hosted pizza-making classes and concerts throughout its run, turning the old house into more than just a place to grab lunch.
What Comes Next for Giglio
Despite the looming closure, Giglio struck an upbeat tone about his next steps. He said he has other potential opportunities lined up and is confident he'll land on his feet, the station reported.
No closure date has been confirmed, and the full terms of the lease dispute between Giglio and his landlord have not been detailed. For now, Old Village General remains a fixture of the neighborhood it helped bring a local pizza and sandwich option to for the first time.
