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By Kenneth Hilario
Philadelphia Business Journal, Oct 12, 2016

A slice of Washington, D.C., will finally come to Philadelphia when an unusual pizza concept with a cult following opens its first outpost in the Philadelphia area. Fast-casual pizza restaurant concept &pizza earlier this year inked a deal for nearly 2,400-square-feet of space at 1430 Walnut St., and it will open its doors at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13. The 64-seat restaurant will be the brand's 17th restaurant overall and the first outside the Washington, D.C., area.

"Our goal is to have people fall in love with the brand," co-founder Michael Lastoria told the Philadelphia Business Journal. He said they're looking at &pizza not as an established brand expanding to another city, but as a start-up in a new city. That is, they will become very active in the community and customer base in Philadelphia to introduce itself to the market. ... Lastoria was among the Washington Business Journal's class of 40 Under 40 for 2016. ...

For one price, customers are able to customize their own pizzas with unlimited toppings. The company also uses clean ingredients and makes its own teas and sodas, and says it pays its employees above the minimum wage.

&pizza has a history of fighting for employees and workers. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser earlier this year signed into law legislation that would raise minimum wage to $15 an hour outside of &pizza, said Lastoria, who said he believes employees are the "future leaders." Lastoria said he will also rally behind workers in Philadelphia. ...

The pizza restaurant was founded by Lastoria and Steve Salis, and it launched in Washington in 2012. ... The ampersand is used because of its use to connect two words together. In this case, the brand connects people to pizza, Lastoria said. ...

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