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March 20 - April 2, 2020
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
wilmingtonbiz.com
RESTAURANT ROUNDUP
“The PMBA Program has equipped me with the confidence and necessary tools to be an effective leader within my organization and community.” - Josh Lambert, Class of 2020
Professional MBA Seated one night per week. Two years. Online coursework. Application deadline: June 1 EEO/AA institution
uncw.edu/mba
Thirty-Fourth Annual
PARADE OF HOMES Coming This Spring Tour the area’s finest new homes!
APRIL 25 & 26 MAY 2 & 3
FREE ADMISSION
Homes Open Noon to 5pm Each Day
BUSINESS OF LIFE
This is a sampling of stories from the Business Journal’s weekly Restaurant Roundup email. Subscribe at wilmingtonbiz.com.
Wilmington chef to roll with vegan food truck Tripp Engel, longtime chef with the Circa Restaurant Group, is launching a new food truck, Vital Seen. The all-vegan, gluten-free truck is set to offer healthy, homemade options packed full of flavor. Engel said that years of working in fast-paced kitchens had taken a toll on him and he was ready to do something on his own. Vital Seen will offer beverages such as green juice, sea moss and spirulina smoothies, and chilled hibiscus tea. Food will include falafel, quinoa tabbouleh, okra chaat masala, and stews such as pumpkin curry, berbere lentil and garbanzo avocado served with injera, a porous bread made from teff, a high-calcium ancient grain from Ethiopia and Eritrea. Engel hopes to have Vital Seen on the road this spring.
Vito’s Pizza coming to midtown location Vito’s Pizza owners Cat, Keith and Drake Norris, along with general manager Alex Wilcox, will soon be opening a midtown location at the corner of South College Road and Long Leaf Hills Drive, across from Shipyard Boulevard. In addition to operating Vito’s at Wrightsville Beach since 2006, the Norrises own C-Street Mexican Grill in the Long Leaf Shopping Center. Keith Norris said he really wasn’t in the market for another restaurant, but once Marco’s Pizza vacated the building at 2305 S. College Road, he couldn’t stop thinking about a possible second location for Vito’s each time he drove past. “It’s a great spot for pick-up and delivery, and I knew we could do another Vito’s there,” Keith Norris said. Pending final inspections, Vito’s Midtown Pizza was expected to open this month.
New pizzeria replacing Frank’s on boardwalk
WilmingtonParadeOfHomes.com
Pleasure Island residents Jen and Jeremy Fenton are bringing pizza back to the boardwalk at Carolina Beach, replacing Frank’s Pizza at 9 Carolina Beach Ave. N. with their
eatery, Fentoni’s Pizzeria. Fentoni’s will feature two sizes of pizza, as well as pizza by the slice, fresh grab-and-go salads, hot subs and appetizers. “We’re super excited to be on the Boardwalk,” Jen Fenton said. “The nearby businesses and the Carolina Beach community have been incredibly welcoming.” Jeremy Fenton worked in pizzerias on Long Island for many years before beginning his career in restaurant equipment installation and has dreamed of owning his own pizzeria. When offered the opportunity to purchase the business from Frank’s owner Charles Haskins, he said he jumped at the chance. Haskins still owns and operates the Frank’s location in Leland, but Fentoni’s will not have any affiliation with Frank’s going forward. The dough and sauce will be homemade, and the Fentons plan to use high-quality ingredients such as buffalo mozzarella. While beer will not be immediately available, the Fentons do plan on applying for a license that will allow them to eventually serve a few beers on tap. The Fentons are proud to welcome general manager Steve Wilkins, who brings more than 18 years of pizzeria experience to Fentoni’s.
Bill’s announces closure of pub, changes coming Bill’s Front Porch Pub & Brewery owners announced via Facebook recently that they have closed the doors to the pub and are restructuring that segment of the business. “We made this decision based on multiple factors,” owners stated in the post. “One reason is due to the opening of our production facility and continuing to shift our focus to the beer side of the business. We also took a hit with the road construction that took place on Market Street. During the 3½ years we were open, two of those years our customers had to work really hard to get into our parking lot to come eat with us, which over time took its toll. “Lastly, we made this decision because we want to spend time with our family, especially with our newest addition who is now 3 months old and growing quickly.” Plans as of earlier this month called for the space to convert to a fulltime taproom and event venue, under the new name of Bill’s Brewing Co. Taproom. -Jessica Maurer
