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Gino’s Pizza is back


 

A popular pizza business has returned to Wodonga, offering “great value” for gourmet toppings.

Business has been flat out since Gino’s Pizza opened two weeks ago at 7 Morrison St, West Wodonga.

“We are selling our gourmet pizza in deals and this is something that is unheard of … you don’t see these deals in cities,” owner Gino Vaccaro said.

“We have a good blend of both traditional and gourmet pizzas but we have found our gourmet pizzas are selling very well because of our great value.”

Mr Vaccaro opened his first pizza shop, Gino’s Pizza and Pasta Heaven, in Mayfair Drive 25 years ago.

He operated the business for 16 years before selling and moving to Melbourne with his wife Susan where he worked for Italian dining icon, Topolino’s, in St Kilda.

Mr Vaccaro had most recently being working as a chef for a Wodonga daycare provider and decided it was time to get back in the pizza game.

“I have introduced a Morrison Street special to celebrate us opening in the street and it’s proving popular,” Mr Vaccaro said.

The Morrison Street Special includes Napoli sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, capsicum, cherry tomato, fetta, anchovies and olives.

A Facebook campaign was launched before the business opened, helping build anticipation for the return of the pizzeria.

“It brought great awareness and anticipation because people were familiar with my name and the previous store,” Mr Vaccaro said.

Mr Vaccaro is keen to use the knowledge he gained while working at Topolino’s, including using a 48-hour dough fermentation in a Neapolitan style.

The business employs 10 staff inside the store but does not offer delivery.

“The worst thing you can do to a pizza is put it in a bag because it just steams up and everything goes soft,” Mr Vaccaro said.

“The best product is out of the oven and into their hands, which is what they are getting here.”

But Mr Vaccaro said customers were willing to collect their orders with plenty of car parking available in the vicinity.

“We had a customer from Baranduda call and asked about delivery but we told him we don’t and he hung up and rang two minutes later to order and came and picked it up,” he said.

“We love the interaction, so many people coming in and while I don’t remember all the names, I do remember their faces.”

The store is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 4.30pm to 9pm.

To order, phone (02) 6081 7300.

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Wodonga Council acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of the Country. We also acknowledge them as Traditional Owners and Custodians across various lands. We pay our respect to their Ancestors, Elders, children and young people. We acknowledge the strength and resilience of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and recognise their continuous connections to lands, waters and communities across the country.