Federal Hill’s TinyBrickOven is ringing in the new year with a fresh motto: 2025, Staying Alive. The shift in focus comes after a surge of attention, driven by a recent review from Barstool’s Dave Portnoy.
Portnoy’s OneBite review last month brought a wave of customers to the pizza shop, along with a generous $60,000 donation that helped keep the holiday spirit alive well into January.
“It’s good to be tired—tired from serving so many customers, not from grinding away and seeing no progress,” said Will Fagg, owner of TinyBrickOven.
The business has seen an influx of customers in the past week. Fagg’s GoFundMe campaign, initially aiming for $5,000, has now raised over $126,000.
Each Pay-It-Forward donation is honored with a sticky note on a board at the front of the shop. However, Fagg noted that the volume of donations has far outpaced the available space on the board.
“We’ve received so many donations that they’ve exceeded the capacity of both our board and the number of people we can serve,” he said.
To ensure the donations have a meaningful impact, Fagg is collaborating with Scott Weiner, the founder of Slice Out Hunger in New York. The two are working together to develop a plan that will allow the donations to go further.
“I can’t just rely on giving food away from our little board,” Fagg explained. “It needs to be more than that. I’m confident that Scott, who’s done this before, will help me figure out how to make it work.”
Despite the attention, TinyBrickOven remains committed to offering a personalized experience for every customer. Fagg takes time to connect with visitors, learning their names and engaging in conversation with each slice of pizza served.
“Thanks for being a part of our story,” Fagg told one customer on New Year’s Day.
Looking ahead, Fagg is considering the possibility of expanding the business or opening a second location. Though nothing is set in stone, he is focused on doing what’s best for the long-term success of TinyBrickOven and the Federal Hill community.
“I hope both things can align,” he said.
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