When a pizzeria in Pelham, New York, got tagged by a graffiti vandal, the owner quickly turned it into an opportunity to promote local artists and attract more business.
On May 16, an unknown serial graffiti artist tagged an exterior wall at Four Corners Pizzeria, a local pizza institution, with a spray-painted slice of pizza topped with pepperoni and green peppers and dripping with cheese. The same artist has hit five other pizzerias in lower Westchester County with similar artwork, reports News12 Westchester.
Joe Del Balzo, co-owner of Four Corners, took it mostly in stride. “I initially thought it was pretty interesting, pretty cool,” he told News12 Westchester. “Maybe he’s a customer who really likes our pizza, so he’s kind of showing his passion for art.”
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But Del Balzo still made it clear in a Facebook post that the graffiti wasn’t acceptable. “We woke up to an unexpected graffiti artwork on our store, and while we appreciate the artistic talent, we want to make it clear that this is NOT okay,” the May 17 post read. “But instead of dwelling on negativity, we’ve decided to turn this into a positive opportunity for the pizza-loving community!”
Four Corners Pizzeria / Facebook
Del Balzo set up a “Pizza Art Takeover” chalkboard inside the restaurant and called on locals to show off their skills. “We invite all talented pizza artists to come and showcase your creativity on our chalkboard inside the store,” he wrote. “Let’s transform this unexpected event into a celebration of art and the love for pizza!”
The post garnered 61 likes, five comments and seven shares.
Four Corners, which specializes in New York-style pizza, is a Pelham landmark. Gino Segreti opened the pizzeria in 1969 before his cousin, Joseph Ciardullo, took it over in 1970. Ciardullo retired in 2015 and sold Four Corners to Del Balzo, who had dined regularly at the eatery in his youth. In addition to traditional New York thin-crust pizzas and slices, the restaurant offers Grandma and Sicilian pies, plus Pepperoni Pinwheels and Chicken Parm, Sausage and Pepper, and Buffalo Chicken rolls.
