When Joe Lee first arrived in the city he now serves as mayor, population stood at a mere 4,000. That was 30 years ago, and Moody’s ascension to the largest municipality in St. Clair County has been soaring at a dizzying speed.
Kelly Creek Commerce Park in Moody entrance
Little more than ‘crossroaads’ three decades ago, today’s Moody is hardly recognizable to those who remember vehicle traffic stopping to allow cows to cross the thoroughfare.
And to those gathered on 170-plus acres on a breezy afternoon in February to cut the ribbon on Kelly Creek Commerce Park, a cattle crossing isn’t even imaginable. What is conceivable is what is planned there – 1.5 million square feet of distribution facility space, a $125 million investment in well paying jobs and the “huge impact on our community from bobs created in this community,” Lee said.
Moody didn’t arrive at this pivotal crossroad alone, Lee said, crediting partnerships with the St. Clair County Commission and St. Clair County Economic Development Council. “It’s a good example of how economic development works in St. Clair County – everyone working together.”
“Elected officials, mayor, you and your team make it easy,” said EDC Executive Director Don Smith. Through partnerships, they “lead by example.”
Smith talked of Mike Graham of Graham and Co., a leading commercial and industrial broker, as a key partner in helping facilitate the vision for the property, “exceeding expectations.” He talked of Horizon, Metro Bank and Alabama Power Co. as major partners as well, predicting, “The best is yet to come.”
Aerial view shows off the expansive park property
The vision is being fulfilled because Moody is “a great community to support new investment, workforce readiness and has a reasonable tax structure. We’re excited about what lies ahead.”
Alabama’s Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield agreed that Moody’s future looks bright. He should know after overseeing $61 billion of new investment during his tenure, including Airbus, Honda, Google and Amazon.
He pointed to the strides in growth Alabama is experiencing in textile, automobile and aerospace industries, which Moody should benefit from in coming years. “This is a great day for Moody,” he said, looking forward to attracting high paying careers in the community. “The site is spectacular.”
From Alabama’s vantage point, the future is focused on international power. The state ships products to 193 countries around the globe, Canfield said. “Alabama has a future as long as we continue to do things like we’re doing today.”
Since January, Pell City’s hottest new restaurant and bar – The St. Clair and The Tavern at The St. Clair, have sizzled and sauteed, shaken and stirred their way to a mouth-watering recipe for success.
Weekends are packed with patrons dressed to the nines in The St. Clair, and in jeans and boots at the Tavern. The décor is white tablecloth elegant, yet welcoming, with decor celebrating the rich history of the area.
The restaurant and tavern are the brainchild of Rebecca and Carson Robinson, business partners for nearly two decades. The Pell City venture is their third venture together.
White-tablecloth dining comes to Pell City
Rebecca Robinson moved to Pell City 11 years ago, loving it so much she never left. The St. Clair and the Tavern blossomed from the growth and change she saw in the community. As more and more people from Birmingham, Atlanta and other areas discovered Pell City, culinary expectations climbed.
“I, myself, being from Birmingham, it’s really nice and convenient when you have a place close by where you can go get a nice glass of wine, a great steak, where you have good seafood choices,” she says. “And we really didn’t have here in Pell City – while we have a lot of good locally-owned restaurants – we did not have really any that hit that higher-end mark.”
The COVID-19 pandemic also brought a steady stream of more full-time residents to Pell City and Logan Martin Lake, migration sparked by a now-remote workforce.
“It was just the right time to open up a fine dining restaurant with an attached tavern, Robinson says. “It was just the right time for the market.”
The menu, crafted by Robinson, Executive Chef J.R. Dell and his team is a mix of steaks, seafood, game, chicken, lamb and pork and a variety of appetizers and salad.
Offerings are upscale, but not pretentious.
“That was our goal for Pell City, to offer a higher end option, but still be casual enough to meld into the Pell City way of life. A lot of people live here because they like the more relaxed lifestyle,” Robinson says. “That was our vision for the restaurant: to provide the great food, the quality food, the great service, but not to overdo it.
“In other words, you can come in in jeans and eat Ahi tuna or a wagyu steak,” Robinson says. “That was our goal.”
Mixing drinks on the Tavern side
Dell leads a team of five chefs. He’s a magna cum laude graduate of the prestigious Johnson and Wales University culinary school. He trained in the United States and in Europe under Peter Jackson, founder of the Welsh Culinary Olympics team. The menu has a mix of Europe, the Florida Keys and local influence.
Along with top-flight food and service, the restaurant and companion tavern pay homage to a history of St. Clair County and its namesake, Gen. Arthur St. Clair, who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolution. St. Clair’s portrait adorns the restaurant/tavern’s website, and the walls are filled with photos, like the black and white image of Logan Martin Dam, which transformed the area in the early 1960s, and other prominent St. Clair historic figures and places.
“We wanted people to know we were local,” Robinson says of the photos featuring prominent locals.
“We felt like the St. Clair was a good venue to bring back and to remember some of the great history of the county,” Robinson says.
Since opening earlier this year, The St. Clair and the Tavern at St. Clair have created a stir, drawing diners from west Georgia and across central Alabama, as well as locals.
“I have to say, we’re humbled by the reception that we’ve received, not just locally, but from miles and miles away.”
But the strong showing of the restaurant and tavern’s early days were not unexpected.
“We felt like there were a lot of people just like us in these communities that wanted and were asking for a restaurant of this quality and food of this caliber,” Robinson says. “So no, we weren’t really surprised by the buzz. We’re glad that people appreciate what we’ve been working towards.”
Robinson credits her team for the success of The St. Clair and the Tavern. Many restaurants across the country have thrown in the napkin so to speak, closing because of the inability to secure and keep staff. Many have worked with the Robinsons in past ventures.
“We’ve been very fortunate to have such strong staff join us throughout this process … One of the things we like to do is we like to develop long-term relationships with the people that work with us. They’re not people who work for us. They work with us. We’re a team.”
Robinson adds,” We look at business as long term, 20-plus years. And we take care of the people that helped us make that happen.”
While Robinson and Dell created the current menu. The future menu will be created by the entire kitchen staff. Likewise, the bar staff will create the cocktail menu. On March 5, the restaurant launched a weekend brunch. For the staff, it’s not only about a paycheck, but the ability to create, Robinson says.
“I see the smiles on their faces when the customers love what they’ve done.”
The new menu, set to be rolled out in April, is like a state secret. Asked for a sneak peek, Robinson says, “I will not divulge.”
Robinson is a self-described “foodie of sorts,” and the initial menu reflects many of her likes. It took a year to develop the wine list.
“I love good Ahi tuna. I love good Wagyu beef, American Wagyu beef,” Robinson says. And while it’s hard to pick her absolute favorite on the menu, she has a standout.
“My standout is the Ahi tuna,” she says. “I absolutely adore it. We sell Triple A Saku. It is the best you can get. We serve it with Ponzu sauce, an Asian dipping sauce that’s a mix of salty and sweet.”
Wine tastings and pairing dinners and holiday events will come down the road, Robison says.
“We’re so busy, I’m not sure what day we would do it on right now.”
Reservations on the restaurant side are recommended through Resy.com, especially on the weekends. Walk-ins are welcome in the Tavern at the St. Clair. For more information, visit thestclairpellcity.com. The restaurant and tavern are located at 2413 Dr. John Haynes Drive in Pell City.
“Pell City is growing, and Pell City is changing,” Robinson says. “Don’t be afraid to come try us. Don’t be afraid to come try something new. Don’t think that you can’t come in in your blue jeans and have a nice dinner with a great glass of wine or a fabulous cocktail. Don’t be afraid to try us.”
Family truly is the foundation for the success of Chef T’s Restaurant in Ragland. Chef Anthony Soles’s mother loved cooking, and that passion inspired him to work his way up through the food industry and spend more than a decade as an executive chef at a major hotel chain.
Their family kitchen stories and experiences influenced Chef Anthony’s son, Cordelro, to attend culinary school and become a chef. Several other family members work in the food business as well.
Anthony Soles and Melissa Burnette
Chef T’s, named for Anthony (Tony), is a family affair – kin or not. His business partner, Carl Byers, also grew up cooking for his family and friends, and his son and daughter help out in the business as needed.
Restaurant and catering manager Melissa Burnette credits her passion for food and home fries for her dedication to the southern cooking offerings at Chef T’s. One of Melissa’s favorite menu items is the Philly cheesesteak sandwich. She recommends pairing that with the home fries or onion rings.
This restaurant is the quintessential, unassuming “hole-in-the-wall,” in a building that was originally built as a convenience store.
It’s a hometown secret of the best kind. Their mainstay is the barbeque pork, and they offer a small-chopped pork sandwich for the budget-friendly price of just $1.25. The barbecue sauce is homemade and is described by Carl as a “sneaky heat, but not overpowering.” The signature Chef T’s burger is remarkable and is served with a steak knife holding it all together.
“The home fries got me,” says Melissa. “As a customer, I just kept coming in and loving them and one day Chef (Anthony) said I should come to work for him.” So, she started out as a server at their Alexandria location before moving up to her current role in Ragland. She’s one of a staff of 10 who consider themselves a family.
There’s a lot of teasing and bantering among the crew, as there is in many family kitchens.
Byers and Soles opened the Ragland restaurant in 2010, building on the success of their original Alexandria location. They purchased the building on Ragland’s Main Street that had, most recently, been a Mexican restaurant and completely reinvented it as a Southern home-style eatery with a simple hometown atmosphere. Its following has grown so much that they are waiting for the opportunity to expand into adjacent space.
They made it through the early COVID pandemic days by converting to curbside pickup only, then adding outdoor seating in the parking lot. Now they’re even talking about opening a restaurant in a third location.
Long-time customer, Kay Carroll, is a huge fan. After she orders a blackened pork chop with home fries and a chicken salad to go, she chats with the wait staff and the manager like old friends. “You can do no wrong coming here,” she says. “You won’t find a friendlier place.”
Her husband comes in at least once a week. Even though they live 15 minutes away in Ashville, it’s “definitely worth the drive,” she says.
“When people finally discover us, they always tell us they’ll be back,” says Carl. “It’s just like Ragland, though,” he says. “It’s a hidden gem. You don’t go through it. You go to it.”
Hand-battered cube steak
Carl, a longtime city councilman, is a strong supporter of his hometown. They are firmly committed to giving back to the community that has supported them. They frequently feed the football team for in-town games, as well as help to sponsor little league teams.
Since they opened 10 years ago, they’ve fed emergency workers several times when tornadoes came through nearby towns. Chef Anthony and Carl also make it a point to work with local churches to help feed “shut-ins,” or those who aren’t able to drive to get their own food.
“They’re good neighbors,” says Ragland Mayor Richard Bunt. “As a small-town restaurant, they always jump in and help when they can. They work with the town in situations where we have to feed workers.”
“Greet ‘em, seat ‘em and feed the people” is their unofficial rally cry. In this town of 2,000 people, they’re one of only two places to eat (the other one is a convenience store deli). They take that charge seriously, opening seven days a week to prove it. From the moment a customer enters the door, the staff makes it their mission to be friendly and accommodating.
The menu variety ensures that just about anyone can find something they’re happy to eat at Chef T’s. The mayor’s favorite, he says, varies with the daily special. “They’re known for the barbecue, but I love the hamburger steak meal,” he says. “They also make great burgers.”
Catering is another aspect of their business and is supported by two food trucks. They cater for many of the large corporations and businesses in the surrounding areas.
They’ve even sent a small contingent to cater a gathering in Alaska. Obviously, that’s not the usual delivery area.
Using talent to cook up something special & serve others
Story by Paul South Photos by Mackenzie Free Submitted Photos
On a sweltering June day, Jason Mullenix is at work in a steaming kitchen. While most, if not all of us, may only hear the clatter of pots and pans, Mullenix, the owner of St. Clair County-based The Magic City Chefs, choreographs a sweet and savory dance.
After just three years in business, The Magic City Chefs has a client base stretching from Atlanta to Birmingham to Smith Lake as he prepares gourmet lunches and dinners in the homes of his clients. Some want a daily lunch. Others may crave a gourmet dinner party for eight.
And Mullenix wants more than just pleased palates and stuffed tummies. He wants to turn back the clock and give back by bringing families back to the dinner table to talk, not text, make eye contact with each other instead of fixed stares at a smartphone screen.
“I noticed it in my own family, being a chef and working from sunup to sundown and most holidays,” he says. “I mean when families have Mother’s Day or something like that, they want to take them out to eat, you know, so that they don’t have to cook. It all falls back on the chef.”
For the culinary professional, which means missed family holidays, missed little league games, even lost chances to tell bedtime stories and give goodnight hugs. “It really dawned on me. We were all sitting around a table at a restaurant when I had a day off, and I looked across the table, and they were all on their phones, including my wife,” he says. And I’m like, there’s nothing to see on your phone. We all should be talking … I looked around the restaurant, and pretty much the same thing was going on at every table.”
He flashed back to the days when his mom cooked dinner, served at the dining room table, when families talked about their day’s triumphs and trials, laughed and kidded and became a family. Going out to eat was a rarity.
“It was more than just sitting there eating,” Mullenix says.
A 17-year culinary veteran, he was supervising a large institutional kitchen when the vision for The Magic City Chefs hit. For him, the joy of cooking had become nothing more than a book title.
“I was burned out,” he says. “The passion was gone. I was making great money, but I couldn’t enjoy it, and I couldn’t enjoy my family with it. I realized there were people out there who don’t have time to come home to cook a decent meal.”
He adds, “I wanted to do something different and find that passion again. If I can help somebody through the gifts that God has given me … If I can help people, I feel like I served my purpose.”
Genesis of a chef
Serving others and purpose are key ingredients in the The Magic City Chefs’ recipe, a process that began when Mullenix was in the Navy, serving first in the base store, then as a barber, then a launderer and three years as a chaplain’s assistant at the Singing River Island Naval Station in Pascagoula, Miss. His cooking interest flamed up when he ran the local observance of the National Prayer Breakfast.
While in the Navy, he took night courses in business administration, then went to culinary school. His first stop was as a baker at Panera Bread, working the night-owl shift. Then came restaurants, the University of Alabama (serving ESPN, the skyboxes at Bryant-Denny Stadium and Crimson Tide alumni) and other Capstone kitchens. He crafted not only pastries, but he learned the savory side of the culinary art.
Then came stops in Birmingham and Pell City. In the Magic City, he catered and cooked for events at the historic antebellum Arlington House. He cooked for dignitaries ranging from mayors to the Red Hat Ladies to Nicky Minaj, where the music superstar wanted everything from food to furniture in pink for a pre-concert party. The Real Housewives of Atlanta were also served during his six years at Arlington.
Of Minaj, Mullenix says, “She probably came in for like five seconds. We got stuck in an elevator for about an hour trying to leave because of security.”
He also worked for the firm that provided food service and vending for Honda in Lincoln. Then came another restaurant stop, followed by Birmingham-Southern College and a nursing home stint before the birth of The Magic City Chefs.
Chef Jason Mullenix puts his cooking skills to work.
The service business cooks prepared meals in-house for clients – one a day – that takes six or seven hours, depending on their choices. Every week, clients get a new menu. A family of four can go six months without eating the same entrée twice, with a wide-ranging menu.
Weekends are reserved for dinner parties, from formal sit down to informal family-style or plated meals of four courses. Mullenix also supplies glassware, tableware, linens and menu cards. Everything is catered to the client. Prices vary depending on the menu, generally from $100-200 per person. A romantic four-course meal costs $300. Diners must provide any alcoholic beverages.
“The majority of anything local I’ve done is around Logan Martin Lake,” Mullenix says. “I haven’t had any prepared meal clients. Most of the clients I have during the week are in the Mountain Brook-Vestavia Hills area.”
One of his first clients, a nonagenarian in North Birmingham, gets meals delivered daily. Mullenix tries to use ingredients the clients have in-house.
There’s also a creative cake arm of the business – for weddings, birthdays, etc., – that sees brisk business from March to October. Among the most unusual wedding cake requests: a “Nightmare Before Christmas” wedding cake.
“It turned out pretty good,” Mullenix says.
While cooking for any number of diners – from a romantic dinner for two to a wedding reception for hundreds – is a pressure cooker, there is a silver lining.
“There’s a good stress about being in the kitchen; it’s not always bad,” Mullenix says. “When everything is going as it should, and you’re creating wonderful food, there’s a ballet about it that’s hard to describe unless you’ve been there.”
That dance includes shopping for the client’s dinner, setting the table, preparing the meal which features locally produced, farm-to-table ingredients.
And there’s still a dance, albeit alone, as he works in a client’s kitchen. It’s a pots-and-pans version of Billy Idol’s Dancing With Myself.
“I just put in my earbuds and do what I need to do,” Mullenix says.
Business is bubbling for The Magic City Chefs. And what’s more, Mullenix’s culinary passion has reignited, and he’s learning with every creation.
And, in keeping with his calling to help others, he’s cooked for temporary clients who need meals while going through physical therapy.
“It’s a lot more rewarding than cooking (in a restaurant) for a bunch of foodies.”
And Mullenix sees his calling and his vision – both that would make June Cleaver smile – families at the dinner table talking like the Mullenix family did long ago. Mullenix even does the dishes.
“That’s the most rewarding part,” he says, “actually seeing families able to do that.”
And at the end of the evening, Mullenix hasn’t only served great gourmet food. He’s given something even more precious.
“I don’t just sell great food,” he says. “I give back time.”
Walking through the massive, original wood doors, you are immediately greeted by Beth or Scott as if you were an old friend just returning from a long trip away. They do seem to know most people who walk in; but even if you’re a stranger, you’ll soon become a new “old friend.”
“I fell in love with the place the first time I came,” says regular Renee Wood. “Beth is so sweet. She remembers every little thing about you. She’s caring and goes beyond anything you would expect.”
Wood just found out about the place in October but has been coming to Nichols Nook in Springville every Friday since then. “I look forward to it all week,” she says. “I’m off on Fridays, so we meet my brother-in-law and his wife here and catch up, then go play pickleball.”
Today they are working through the recent loss of her mother-in-law. As they reminisce about her, the coffee shop co-owner, Beth, walks up and joins the conversation. Intently listening, Beth suggests the Nook host a celebration of life for her and in minutes has it all planned out.
Beth and Scott Walker opened Nichols Nook in 2016 after dreaming of what the vacant storefront could be. Scott had visited it many times as a child when it was a TV and stereo shop. It had been many things since then, most recently an interior design shop. Avid walkers, they would walk past the building and comment about all the things “someone” could do with the building. Then it occurred to them that they could be that someone. They began to think about opening a bookstore in the space.
There are many spaces, indoor and out, where patrons can relax.
They got in touch with the landlord, and she liked the idea. Still, they were not convinced they could do it. So, the landlord gave them the key to the building for a couple of weeks. “We would come in here and just sit and pray. We were asking for a specific vision and direction,” Beth says. “We had a general vision,” echoes Scott. “But it’s definitely been organic. It’s changed and evolved a lot.”
Built in 1892, not long after the city was incorporated, the building had been preserved and renovated by the previous owner. Marian Brasher, the building’s current owner, was adamant that she wanted something locally owned that would bring life to the area. The Nook, as locals call it, has become that place. Originally opening as a bookstore and gift shop that offered coffee, it has evolved into a true community gathering spot with full barista service.
In addition to serving a variety of coffee drinks and baked goods, they are a gift store, reading nook, community gathering spot and event venue. They host book clubs, birthday parties, anniversary and graduation events and wedding parties inside and in their two hidden courtyards.
But, Beth says, they don’t want to just rent the space. They want to be able to add to the memories. “The space lends itself very well to being a comfortable inviting space to gather,” explains Beth. “But it’s more about the experience. We learn bits about the honoree so that we can add small personal touches that make it special.”
The key for the Walkers is a focus on community. “We get to know people, and they get to know each other,” says Beth. “We want to be a part of their community. There’s so much going on that it’s important for people to come in and leave the world behind, even if just for a few minutes.”
Many people have walked in for a quick cup of coffee and ended up staying for the fellowship. Some have even become close friends and employees. Loretta came over after work from the kids program she was running at the Methodist church across the street. She now works for them part time for free. She just loves talking to people.
Then there’s Carol, who, Beth says, just walked in one day and said, “I just know I’m supposed to work here.” And now she does. And Bob, an 82-year-old mobile mechanic, who used to have his own coffee shop in Gulf Shores before it was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, is a faithful customer and mentor. “He’s a great supporter. He comes in, meets people and talks to them. He’s part of what makes this what it is,” adds Scott.
Then there’s Susan, or “precious Susan,” as Beth calls her. She was taking a sabbatical from nursing and came into the coffee shop with her daughter. This was just a few days after they had opened. She immediately hit it off with Beth and Scott and ended up working for them. “I never did go back to nursing,” says Susan. “We have just enjoyed this journey together. It works because they care about the community.”
It’s not a stretch to care about the community that has been so much a part of Scott’s life. A graduate of Springville High School, he is a third-generation business owner in his hometown. His aunt and uncle, “Ma” and Lee Laster, opened the Laster’s Soda Shop and Pharmacy in 1927. When they passed, his aunt, Ovada Burtram, ran it until the late 1980s, when it was sold.
One of the outdoor Nooks
His great-grandfather, Pink Simmons, ran the Simmons Motor Company in Springville. Pictures from these old businesses hang over the couch, an heirloom from his grandmother, in one of the coffee shop’s reading nooks. The couch, itself, has a bit of history to it. Purchased from Bromberg’s in Birmingham in the late 30s or early 40s, it survived being hit by a truck that ran through his grandmother’s house.
Even the name of the coffee shop celebrates family and community. Beth’s maiden name was Nichols. She lost both of her parents to cancer when they were in their 60s. Her mom, Kay Nichols, was a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher in Springville. Her dad, Ron, also loved reading and had an affinity for both coffee and tea. So they came up with the name Nichols Nook to honor them. They believe it’s a place both of her parents would have enjoyed.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the business. They had to shut down in 2019 to realign and improve the business model. Just about the time they were planning to reopen, issues related to the pandemic forced their doors to remain closed. They were able to reopen in the summer of 2021, but then had to close for two months after their family struggled through COVID-19 themselves.
They credit their oldest son, 21-year-old Ben, with being a huge help in reopening the business. “He’s been key to our success,” says Scott. “We couldn’t have made it without him.” Ben adds, “It’s cool to be a part of their business, to see it grow and to see all the people we’ve met through it.”
His future plans will take him away from the family business, though. At the end of the summer, he will begin a job as a commercial pilot. His brother, 13-year-old Sam, may one day take over the barista duties. For now, says Beth, his other interests are “much cooler” than the business.
What could be “cooler” than coffee? After all, President Thomas Jefferson called coffee “the favorite drink of the civilized world.” Coffee may be the favorite drink, but Nichols Nook makes it a favorite experience.
You can find them on Main Street in Springville or on the web at Nichols-nook.business.site.
The parking lot of Carpenetti’s Pizzeria in Moody is packed! Cars are squeezed into any opening their drivers can find – around the back of the building, in the grass, in the dead zone between the restaurant and the Chevron station next door.
Inside, hungry diners jockey for attention from the hostess for one of only about a dozen tables as a steady stream of people queue in line for what seems like an endless run of take-out pies. The phone rings off the hook, the small staff constantly runs back and forth from the kitchen to the house, and pizzas fly in and out of the brick oven at a quicker pace than the ending sketch of an episode of the Benny Hill Show.
Frank Carpenetti’s signature, hand-tossed dough is foundation for a great pizza.
And the kicker is, it’s only Tuesday.
It’s abundantly clear the word leaked out that Carpenetti’s Pizzeria has been named the best pizza restaurant in Alabama. “Business has picked up a lot,” saysownerFrank Carpenetti.
“As you see tonight, there’s a waiting list, and it’s pretty much like this every night. People have to sign in now.It’s organized chaos. Sometimes. It looks like everybody’s running in 10 different directions, but only up to a point.”
The competition for Bama’s Best Pizza, sponsored by the Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and the Alabama Farmers Federation Dairy Division, asked for nominations from the general public in the early rounds to determine a final four. At that point, a group of judges would visit each of the four finalists to nosh on some pizza and award a champion.
Carpenetti’s beat out some restaurants with great reputations, including Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant in Sylacauga, Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar in Madison and Top-Notch Pizza & BBQ from Vernon. Carpenetti said he had no idea the restaurant was under consideration for the competition until the very last day of public voting.
“We were real surprised,” says Carpenetti. “Someone came in with an advertisement, and so we called a few people and they said, ‘Yeah, we’ll get in on that,’ and all the customers that were in here all voted for us.”
Once Carpenetti’s advanced to the final four, the judges visited each restaurant, sampling an array of pizzas. The only requirement was a pepperoni pizza. Everything else was wide open. Carpenetti decided to give the judges a stuffed “all the way” pizza and a spinach alfredo pizza with chicken and bacon. Carpenetti said while he didn’t know what to expect during the judging, it wasn’t long before he had a good feeling.
“We just gave them everything we could that we thought would wow the judges,” he says. “I got a good feeling from it. I thought I would have a chance if I could get them in here to eat. They seemed to really like everything, and when they got all done, they said everything was great.”
Winning this competition is a validation of almost a quarter-century of hard work.
The road to Moody and Bama’s Best Pizza
Carpenetti grew up on a dairy farm in Watertown, N.Y., a working-class town of 30,000 just 30 miles from the Canadian border and 300 miles from New York City. He had 17 years under his belt as a machinist when he accepted a job offer in Moody. It wasn’t long before Carpenetti realized things weren’t working out with his new company but moving back north wasn’t an option. He and his family had already come to love Moody, and his brother had moved to the area as well. Carpenetti asked himself, “What do I do now?”
What he did was open a pizza joint.
“I started this because I couldn’t find what I like. I don’t like conveyor belt pizza. I like New York-style pizza. So that’s what I did,” Carpenetti says. “I had already moved everything down here. My brother moved down here, so we just stayed. I love it here.”
In reality, the original Carpenetti’s Pizzeria aspired to be a joint. Opened on Aug. 7, 1997, Carpenetti’s Pizza occupied a tiny space affectionally called “the hole” hidden behind the old CVS Pharmacy on U.S. 411.
Those early days in the restaurant business were tough as he worked to establish his restaurant and perfect the recipes that would eventually be heralded as the best in the state. “It was hard because I actually had to go out and get other jobs doing some different things. I was doing anything from raking leaves to cutting grass, whatever it took,” he said. “But I had to do it because I wasn’t going to give up. There were a lot of a lot of days when I thought, ‘What did I get myself into?’ But it’s worth it.”
The Carpenettis at the helm of a ‘family affair’
After two-and-a-half years, Carpenetti’s moved across the highway to a strip mall next to Fine Pools & Spas where they stayed for another seven years. For the past 15 years, Carpenetti’s has occupied the former location of Shaw’s Barbecue on Park Avenue across the street from Moody City Park. The old barbecue pit was just big enough to fit Carpenetti’s brick-fired pizza ovens. “We’ve only got about an inch-and-a-half clearance for these ovens,” Carpenetti says. “They just happened to fit. They just happened to fit perfectly in there.”
Carpenetti’s day starts at 6 a.m., with the exception of Tuesday when he arrives at the restaurant at 5 a.m. Other staff – mostly members of this close-knit family – arrive around 8 a.m. to prepare for the lunch rush at 11 a.m. One of the aspects that differentiates Carpenetti’s from others is the pizza dough, which is made fresh each day. Carpenetti also forgoes the use of equipment to stretch the dough, opting for the traditional method of tossing the dough in the air, a technique that not only makes for a better pizza but it also an entertaining crowd-pleaser.
“All of our pizzas are hand-tossed. A lot of places use a press. We don’t do that. We do everything by hand. Maybe it’s because I’m old school,” Carpenetti says. “Sometimes when we’re not real busy, we’ll see a kid watching, and we’ll say, ‘Hey, come here. Do you want to make your pizza?’ It’s great to see the smiles on their faces.”
A family business, Carpenetti is surrounded by relatives who put the family name on the line each day. Carpenetti’s wife, son, daughter, brother, daughter-in-law, grandson and granddaughter all work at the restaurant, as well as several long-time employees who have become honorary Carpenettis. He credits their work ethic and dedication to the restaurant’s success.
“Everybody here works so hard. I mean, you don’t see any of my people just standing around. They’re always doing something,” Carpenetti says. “It ain’t it all glitz and glamour. There were some hard times, but right now, I’m just so proud of everybody here.”
More than 24 years since taking a chance on bringing New York-style pizza to St. Clair County, the recognition Carpenetti’s is getting is well-deserved. But none of it would be possible without the loyal customers – the early supporters from their days in “the hole” and the new fans alike – who have made this little pizza joint into an institution.
“Thank you for your support over all these years,” he says. “We couldn’t have done it without you. I think we have the best customer base anywhere.”
