Some of the most beloved pizzas in Chicagoland will soon be on offer in the heart of Dixie when Antioch Pizza Shop opens in downtown Tuscaloosa.
The eatery will offer thin-crust Chicago-style pizza by the slice, pasta dishes, Italian beef sandwiches, and other handhelds, all finished off with hand-dipped ice cream, milkshakes, and malts.
The popular pizzeria announced plans to open in Temerson Square back in June, and franchisee Mike Volkmar, Jr. told the Thread on Thursday that they aim to be open in time for football season kicking off at the end of the month.
Volkmar will run the Temerson Square pizzeria opening at 409 23rd Avenue in partnership with his parents, who still live in Illinois.
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
(Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread)
The original Antioch Pizza Shop opened in the Illinois village almost 50 years ago. It’s owned now by Art and Karen Wicklein, high school sweethearts who bought the restaurant in 2008.
The Wickleins have been expanding the brand throughout the Midwest, now boasting seven locations in Illinois and three more in Wisconsin. They’re branching out even farther with new locations coming to college towns, including Charlotte, Austin, and Tuscaloosa.
“I’m from Antioch, I grew up there and have eaten that pizza my whole life,” Volkmar said. “It’s been my favorite for a long time, and they’ve started expanding to a bunch of different places and now different states, which is something I’m really excited to be a part of.”
Volkmar said he hopes to bring a taste of the Midwest to the Deep South. Though people may be picturing a soupy, sauce-covered pizza that’s almost a casserole, Antioch actually specializes in thin crust, not deep-dish.
“Our specialty is Chicago-style thin crust. It’s a tavern style, cut in squares and really meant for sharing,” Volkmar said. “It’s delicious, and that’s our bread and butter.”
(Antioch Pizza Shop on Facebook)
(Antioch Pizza Shop on Facebook)
Need more convincing? Antioch Pizza Shop was voted the best pizzeria in the Chicago area in a March Madness-style bracket last year, beating out dozens of competitors in a seven-round tournament and earning the eatery even more recognition.
Volkmar said Antioch will also offer stuffed deep-dish pies, you might be picturing thinking about Chicago-style pizza, as well as strombolis, an Italian beef sandwich, wings, salads, and desserts, including canolis and ice cream.
He said the Temerson Square locale should well suit the atmosphere Antioch has created at their other stores.
“I grew up going to Antioch Pizza, buying the two-slice-and-a-drink special that we all offer,” he told the Thread. “It was something quick with excellent counter service – just how you expect in the city. Walk in, go up to the counter, and order what you want. It comes out in a few minutes, and then you’re on your way to go on with what you’re doing. It’s good for working people, the community, people with large families who want to come in and get a ton of stuff to share – that’s what we’re based on, and when we were looking for places, I thought Temerson Square was just such a fun spot. We couldn’t pass it up.”
Antioch Pizza Shop also prides itself on being “the crust of the community,” and every location takes on local partnerships to benefit the area. Volkmar said he can’t wait to do the same here in West Alabama.
“We love partnering with schools and letting them sell our pizza at the concession stands or working with sponsored sports teams so they have a place they can go and the whole team can meet up to grab a couple of pizzas and just have a good time,” he said. “We’re about community. We want this to be a locally rooted business and help out as much as we can.”
When Antioch Pizza Shop opens for business – hopefully sometime this month – Volkmar said he recommends trying a slice or two of the Chicago thin crust with sausage if you’re a meat eater, and to pair them up with an Italian beef sandwich to rival anything else in the area.
The pizzeria is also now hiring for many open positions.
For photos and more when Antioch gets open in the near future and for more exclusive coverage of restaurant and retail development in the region, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.
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