By Gregg McQueen
Ángel and his wife Cristina Salazar at their beloved Grandpa’s Pizza.
When an early-morning fire tore through Grandpa’s Brick Oven Pizza on December 9, owner Ángel Salazar thought his dreams, as well as his business, had gone up in smoke.
He has worked at the popular Inwood eatery since the day it opened in 2004, starting as a counter helper and working his way up to store manager.
When the previous owner sought to retire this fall and close down the store, Salazar and his wife Cristina chose to buy the business from him and keep the neighborhood institution open.
“It was always my dream to own my own business,” he said. “And the store was like home to me.”
But just two months after Salazar purchased the pizzeria, located at 4973 Broadway, it was damaged by a blaze that has forced the business to remain closed ever since.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Salazar said of the fire. “The store is my only source of income. And we have employees that we couldn’t pay if we weren’t open.”
The fire was reported at 4:08 a.m. on December 9, according to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
Read more: Inwood pizzeria rebuilding after fire | Manhattan Times
Support Here: Go Fund Me Spotlight: Help Angel Rebuild Grandpa’s Pizza
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