Pizza King: Keeping it Together Since 1970

Charlie was walking up the block when he lived close to 807 Abbott Blvd., the present location of the restaurant, and he saw a vacant store when a light bulb went off in his head. It was 1970 when he decided to open a pizzeria with his partner, Luigi, Luigi’s wife and Charlie’s mother, Carmela--all from the same hometown in Calabria, Italy.

They opened up a 1,750-square-foot pizza stand called Pizza King in the present location. In 1974 they put on an addition to the space and called it .

Charlie moved to New Jersey in 1968. Natalie, his wife, came to New Jersey from San Lucido, Cosenza, Italy--following Charlie--in 1972. It was in that year they got married.

Natalie moved upstairs at 807 Abbott Blvd. During the day, she worked in a factory on Main Street in Fort Lee until 4 p.m. then continued her day as a waitress at Pizza King to be with Charlie. 
                           
Good business practice allowed Natalie and Charlie to buy a house as well as to tend to their children’s college education and help them to be who they are today.

In the beginning it was much easier. All it seemed to take was the personality of their customers to inspire them to continue day after day. It didn’t take Natalie long to realize that working at Pizza King would be a better thing for her to do full-time. She became a hostess in 1975, along with being a waitress, and today she's also an owner.

“I always enjoy the restaurant," Natalie said. "My dedication leads to sacrificing pleasure time. There’s rarely a free moment. However my customers are considered first, as I feel they should be. The way the business should be conducted. Looking at my past, I never needed more space, as long as my employees work together and act as a team, we’re fine.”

Natalie said her brothers, Frankie, Michael and Robert, have helped her out a lot "in many times of emergency."

“My brothers ... were working with me and Charlie growing up, during high school and weekends, faithfully,” she said.

Being that the economy is hitting Pizza King hard, creating ups and downs, Natalie said she focuses on the restaurant's menu and makes sure special ingredients are added, making all the food "special and tasty."

The business revolves around certain items on the menu, she said, especially the baked ziti, chicken parm sandwiches and chicken Marsala, "all in good portions.”

The diversity of the borough has changed business a lot, Natalie says.

“I find the different types of people stick together and come in groups," she said. "The restaurant seemed to do better when people, when following their own ‘tradition’ together, were more loyal. Time has passed, and the economy, affecting people differently, has taken a toll on business. Back to the ingredients, we have to make the right choices in combinations of food to please everyone.”

Charlie comes in early every morning and makes sure everything is in order. He helps with the shopping, makes the various sauces and helps prepare pizza dough. But Natalie says her son Robert is a a particularly big help with the business.

"Robert prepares the dough the best,” Natalie said. “Robert is such a big help in all the areas. He covers everything. He’s very kind and polite with the customers that allows them the freedom to always feel welcome back.”

With expenses so high and profits decreasing by the week, Pizza King remains open in large because of Natalie’s dedication.

“I am constantly trying to keep things in order, especially with the chef, to keep customers happy, with a ‘no salt’ order, a ‘light sauce’ order, whatever I can do to accommodate my customers," she said. "Keeping my customers happy is one way that keeps me feeling successful.”   

Two employees, including Robert, are chefs. Robert is also a waiter with Natalie, Charlie and Frank helping out with tables on the weekends. They also employ one bus boy.

Even with expenses extremely high for gas and electric, along with taxes and a decline in income, Natalie said she “never loses faith.”

And business keeps on going. Some people, this writer included, would certainly be at a loss without a weekly portion of Pizza King's baked ziti, and others without the chicken parmigiana sandwiches, chicken Marsala and chicken Francese--prepared the same way as always.

Visit Pizza King Italian Restaurant for a delish meal; call 201-224-3070.