Who hasn’t found themselves suddenly craving pizza? For two local entrepreneurs, that familiar feeling sparked the creation of Sal’s Emergency Pizza Services, featuring an authentic, homemade menu designed to satisfy Bossier City residents at any time a craving strikes.
Co-owners Sal Mansour and Franco “Mo” Mogavero are offering local pizza lovers a flavorful alternative to the usual fare.
“We try to be a little different with our recipes and focus on quality above everything else — making our own cheeses, toppings, meatballs, and sauces,” Mansour said. “Everything is fresh.”
Mogavero puts it even more boldly, adding, “We strive to make the world a little bit better with pizza.”
Opening a location on Benton Road in Bossier City had long been a goal for the pair, and when the opportunity arose to take over a former Pizza Hut building, it felt like fate.
“It was pure luck,” Mansour said. “It worked out perfectly.”
Mogavero, who retired from the Shreveport Police Department after 20 years to pursue his passion for Italian food, knew his partner’s dedication well. He noted that Mansour had been collecting and storing kitchen equipment for years, preparing for this exact moment.
“I’ve known him forever, and I know he’s someone who truly cares about offering a great product and focusing on quality,” Mogavero said. “That’s the kind of atmosphere I want to be part of.”
The partners’ connection began about a decade ago, when Mansour was slinging pizza out of rented kitchens inside Shreveport bars. At the same time, Mogavero worked the downtown beat as a Shreveport police officer.
Originally from Queens, New York, Mansour has lived in northwest Louisiana for 17 years and operated several area restaurants. Though not formally trained as a chef, he has a deep love of food and cooking, paired with a knack for the business side of restaurants and an interest in experimenting with creative themes.
The “Emergency Pizza” concept grew out of late-night service to bar patrons desperate to cap off their night with comfort food or fuel up to keep going.
“Honestly, it was the customers who started calling it ‘emergency pizza,’” Mansour said with a laugh. “We would serve up until 6 a.m.”
Eventually, Mansour grew tired of the late-night grind and decided to transition the concept to a food truck. Inspired by a California-based truck called Taco 911, he found an ambulance to convert into a mobile kitchen, perfectly tying into the emergency theme.
Still, the desire for a permanent home base never faded. A brick-and-mortar location would make operating the food truck easier by providing a central space for preparation and restocking.
“Serving customers is much easier now,” Mansour said. “I was constantly running out of food before, but now we can prep here, restock, and get the food truck going again.”
As plans for the physical restaurant came together, Mansour also reconnected with the deep pizza culture of his home state. He spent nearly a year building a distribution network to source high-quality ingredients that now make up the pizzas served in Bossier.
For Mogavero, the son of a second-generation Sicilian, his heritage plays a major role in his emphasis on authentic Italian cuisine. It’s a philosophy the partners share — offering thoughtfully crafted dishes made with quality ingredients that bring people together.
“This is about making people happy,” Mogavero said. “Yes, it’s a business, and you have to keep the doors open. But if we make people happy, the rest will come.”
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Dining and Cooking