Popular Southwest Detroit pizza spot PizzaPlex closing

A POPULAR NEOPOLITAN PIZZA restaurant in Southwest Detroit announced it will be closing at the end of the month.

PizzaPlex, founded in 2017 by spouses Alessandra Carreon and Drew McUsic, began when “a backyard pizza hobby spiraled happily out of control,” the restaurant wrote in an Instagram post announcing the closure. Monday is the last day.

e certi ed Verace Pizza Napoletana restaurant also featured karaoke and other events.

No speci c reason for the closure was announced and a restaurant employee said the owners were traveling and not immediately available to answer questions about the decision.

A GoFundMe is seeking to raise $3,000 to help employees who will be laid o with the closure. By Feb. 17, the goal had nearly been reached.

Crain’s reported in 2020 that the restaurant in Southwest Detroit had shifted to a mobile business model, after trying carryout and pizza kits earlier in the coronavirus pandemic.

It used a small trailer with an oven welded in and a tented prep area to make pizzas for private events or at bars.

PizzaPlex drew inspiration from Carreon’s mother’s hometown, the restaurant said on its web page. It also supported various Detroit nonpro ts and had a pay-it-forward pizza program.

In the Instagram post, the restaurant’s owners said they had dreams of a more equitable food service industry. Decisions there were made “with deep intention,” the post said, and the decision to close was made “with heavy hearts.” crainsdetroit.com

“It’s been (a) real, and wild, and wonderful lookout from this window,” the post said.

President and CEO KC Crain

Group Publisher Jim Kirk, (312) 397-5503 or jkirk@ crain.com

Publisher Lisa Rudy, (313) 446-6032 or lrudy@crain.com

Executive Editor Mickey Ciokajlo, (313) 446-0319 or mickey.ciokajlo@crain.com

Managing Editor Michael Lee, (313) 446-1630 or malee@crain.com

Director of Audience and Engagement Elizabeth Couch, (313) 446-0419 or elizabeth.couch@crain.com

Audience Engagement Editor Matthew Pollock, matthew.pollock@crain.com

Creative Director Thomas J. Linden, tlinden@crain.com

Digital Portfolio Manager Tim Simpson, (313) 446-6788 or tsimpson@crain.com

Assistant Managing Editor Beth Reeber Valone, (313) 446-5875 or bvalone@crain.com

Assistant Managing Editor Lauren Abdel-Razzaq, (313) 446-5800 or lauren.razzaq@crain.com

Assistant Managing Editor-Special Projects Leslie Green, lgreen@crain.com

Projects Editor Stacy Sominski, stacy sominski@crain.com

Associate Creative Director Karen Freese Zane, kfreese@crain.com

Art Director Kayla Byler, kayla.byler@crain.com

Design and Copy Editor Beth Jachman, (313) 446-0356 or bjachman@crain.com

Research and Data Editor Sonya Hill, (313) 446-0402 or shill@crain.com Newsroom (313) 446-0329

Reporters

Jason Davis, restaurants, retail and small businesses. (313) 446-1612 or Jason.davis@crain.com

David Eggert senior reporter, politics, policy and energy. (313) 446-1654 or david.eggert@crain.com

Arielle Kass, city of Detroit. (313) 446-6774 or arielle.kass@crain.com

Nick Manes residential real estate and mortgage industry. (313) 446-1626 or nmanes@crain.com

Kurt Nagl manufacturing, law and courts. (313) 446-0337 or knagl@crain.com

Kirk Pinho, senior reporter, real estate. (313) 446-0412 or kpinho@crain.com

Dustin Walsh, senior reporter, health care and cannabis. (313) 446-6042 or dwalsh@crain.com

Rachel Watson, West Michigan and insurance. (989) 533-9685 or rachel.watson@crain.com

Sherri Welch, senior reporter nonpro ts, philanthropy and higher education. (313) 446-1694 or swelch@crain.com

MEMBERSHIPS

CLASSIC $169/yr.

ALL ACCESS + DATA $499/yr.

Visit www.crainsdetroit.com/membership or call (877) 824-9374

Group and Corporate Membership Sales

Deb Harper, (313) 446-1623 or dharper@crain.com

ADVERTISING/MARKETING

Sales Inquiries (313) 446-6032; FAX (313) 393-0997

Senior Vice President of Sales Susan Jacobs, (312) 649-5492 susan.jacobs@crain.com

Director of Custom Content Kristin Bull, (313) 446-1608 or kbull@crain.com

Director of Sales Jason Ritchie, 313-720-4666 or jason.ritchie@crain.com

Content Studio Manager Clare Pfei er (313) 446-0423 or clare.pfei er@crain.com

Events Director Samantha Flowers

Senior Account Executives Maria Marcantonio, Sharon Mulroy

Advertising Sales Ainsley Burgess

Content Marketing Specialist Allie Jacobs

People on the Move Manager Debora Stein, (917) 226-5470, dstein@crain.com

Media Services Manager Nicole Spell (212) 210-0230 or nspell@crain.com

Classi ed Sales Suzanne Janik, sjanik@crain.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Single copy purchases, publication information, or membership inquiries: (877) 824-9374 or customerservice@crainsdetroit.com

Reprints: Laura Picariello (732) 723-0569 or lpicariello@crain.com

Crain’s Detroit Business is published by

Crain Communications Inc.

Chairman, Editor Emeritus Keith E. Crain

Vice Chairman Mary Kay Crain

President and CEO KC Crain

Senior Executive Vice President Chris Crain

Chief Financial O cer Robert Recchia

G.D. Crain Jr. Founder (1885-1973)

Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. Chairman (1911-1996) Editorial &