For many pizza shop owners, viral growth is nothing more than a pipe dream. For Sean Jefairjian, growing a booming business took a bit of muscle, a bit of luck, and a whole lot of social media strategy. In this episode, we’re talking to the Pittsburgh Pizza connoisseur and A Slice of NY Pizza owner about the trajectory of his pizza fame and where he’s hoping to go next.
You may be wondering – Should I really be expecting a Slice of New York Pizza out of Pittsburgh? Read on to find out!
How A Slice of New York Pizza Began
Homegrown New Yorker Sean Jefairjian was a corporate professional for most of his career, and then COVID hit. When travel lessened significantly for his corporate job, Sean began looking for other outlets to showcase his creativity and passions.
He started cooking pizza for his family and friends, where they’d enjoy pies six feet apart in the driveway. After he sold pizza out of his home, he opened A Slice of NY Pizza in the fall of 2020.
“Pittsburgh is the land of opportunity – not Jersey or New York. The reason I was able to open my pizza shop in 2020 is that rent was so cheap. Quality ingredients are easy to get, and it’s the perfect spot for pizza,” Sean explained.
Bringing A Slice of New York Pizza Home to Pittsburgh
Being a family-owned business, Sean’s favorite part about the business is being with his family every day. With that comes occasional arguments and frustration, but he appreciates how much his family wants to learn and contribute to the family business.
Sean’s son is the dough master, elevating it from a simple, tasty dough to an amazing sourdough for all the pies. His daughter runs the social media, his wife works in the restaurant, and his father helps with business consulting.
“Our pizza is currently the best it’s ever been, but I’m still not satisfied.” Sean is always iterating, working with his team to perfect every part of every pizza to create the best experience for his customers.
“I have the world’s simplest menu. We’re quality-focused — we have three menu items. Pizza, garlic knots, and meatballs… and that’s it.”
When asked about the most popular menu items, Sean said, “I always try to push people to the plain cheese pizza. Outside of pepperoni, our white pizza and vodka pies are the best sellers.”
They also bring in desserts from local bakeries and vendors, including gelato, pastries, pies, and more.
How it Went Viral
With a controversial social media presence, Sean and his social media team thrive on stirring the pot, ruffling feathers, and riling up their followers.
With this strategy at the foundation of their social media, it’s no surprise A Slice of Pizza’s Instagram is the talk of the town. When Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy was rumored to be coming to Pittsburgh to rank popular pizza spots, Sean knew he had to throw his hat in the ring.
Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Pizza Review gave the cheese pepperoni a score of 8.2, which Sean was very satisfied with. Since Portnoy’s review, the shop has been experiencing rapid growth. They have big plans to begin franchising shops all over the country.
Connect with Sean & a Slice of New York Pizza
With two shops open in Pittsburgh and one more on the way, as well as new shops opening in New York and New Jersey, there’s no doubt that A Slice of New York Pizza is here to stay.
To learn more about A Slice of New York Pizza, visit their Facebook page
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