Papa Vito’s is opening a new location in southwestern Illinois. Here’s what to know
So, I heard this rumor.
Word on the street (OK, so I heard it from a colleague, via email) is that Papa Vito’s is opening a new location in Smithton.
I’m not usually one to take rumors seriously, but I thought this one was worth looking into.
So I made a call to Papa Vito’s owner Gerry Geoppo and put the question before him.
As it turns out, the rumor is true. (Yes!)
“We’re locked in,” said Geoppo.
The new pizza place will be located at 101 N. Main St. in Smithton.
Geoppo’s daughter, Kati, who lives in Smithton and helps run the downtown Belleville location, will operate the newest location for the family’s business.
Initially, the site of the recently closed Mi Jalapeno at 500 S. Main St. was considered for a Smithton location, but Geoppo said the existing set-up wasn’t suitable for their needs.
Then Coffee Mill Diner closed.
The diner closed a few weeks ago due to “a personal health issue,” according to a June 1 post on the diner’s Facebook page.
Geoppo said his daughter-in-law knows the building’s landlord, who Geoppo described as “a good dude … encouraging.”
So they took a look at the building.
“The building suits us,” said Geoppo. “The kitchen sold us.”
The kitchen is big, like the Belleville location; it’s efficient, he said, adding that the whole building is “larger than you see when you [first] pull in.”
Licenses and permits have been applied for, and equipment and supplies are on order.
“We try to put out the best product we can in this age,” Geoppo said regarding ongoing equipment delivery delays and supply shortages.
The building itself doesn’t need anything as far as construction, and the kitchen has most of what it needs, but some painting and other cosmetic tweaks will be made.
It’s fun to plan and fun to get ready, but it’s still a lot of work, Geoppo said.
“It’s set up right now, as far as what we need. Hopefully we can staff it,” he continued.
Part of the plan is to start accepting applications pretty quickly. Anyone interested can fill out an application at any of the other locations.
Geoppo, who runs the Waterloo restaurant, and his four kids, who handle the other three locations, will all pitch in to get the new addition up and running.
They hope to be open in mid- or late-August.
“You’ll see us all out there,” Geoppo said.
Papa Vito’s, which was voted favorite pizza place in southwestern Illinois in a BND reader poll in January, opened the first location in Waterloo in 1991.
Three more locations were added between January 2011 and August 2016.
The four area locations are:
223 W. Mill St., Waterloo. 618-939-5200;
318 E. Washington St., Belleville. 618-277-6200;
4205 North Belt West, Belleville. 618-416-7900;
741 W. Washington St., Millstadt. 618-476-6100.
Hours vary by location.
For more information, visit mypapavitos.com.
