Center City Pizza Shop Owner Expands His Pay It Forward Concept To West Philly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Center City pizza entrepreneur known for his dollar-a-slice business plan and pay-it-back method to help Philadelphia's homeless community plans to open another shop in West Philadelphia.
When Mason Wartman first opened Rosa's Fresh Pizza, he anticipated his dollar-a-slice menu would attract folks with little means. Soon after, he developed a business plan that allowed customers to buy pizza for others.
"Three years later, we feed about 100 homeless people a day and we've given away 100,000 or 150,000 slices of pizza," Wartman said. "I'm looking to do the same thing on the other side of Philly."
The second Rosa's location is set to open July 1 at 16 South 40th Street.
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"There's a lot of university students around there," Wartman explained. "But also a few homeless shelters and addiction treatment centers."
And the new pizzeria will offer an expanded menu.
"We're playing around with salads right now, we'll be selling hoagies," Wartman said. "We do want to broaden the types of food and maybe raise the nutrition level a bit."
What has he learned over the years?
"If you can do something to help someone," Wartman said, "you should do it."
