Larry Owen was placed on a two-week furlough from his position at Aleris in Lewisport a little more than a month ago. He purchased a convection oven from a local gas station and used his downtime to experiment with some pizza recipes that received high praise in the community.
Little did he know, those experiments would propel him to new heights in the pizza industry. The entrepreneur most recently purchased a brick-and-mortar location at 2100 W. 2nd Street with hopes of opening PeezO’s Pizza by the end of the month.
“I was laid off because of the pandemic and (I’m just) trying to pay my bills,” he said. “I started messing with my recipes, found something I liked, and got some friends to try it.”
The amateur chef crafted a pizza for Jay Johnson of Jay’s Good Grub — a local food truck staple — on June 6. Delighted by the taste, Johnson posted a photo of the pie. The ensuing likes, comments, and shares were overwhelming.
“People were instantly reaching out to find out where he got it,” Owen said. “Jay has always been encouraging me to follow my dreams — giving me advice and pointers on how to move forward.”
Owen created a private Facebook group on June 14 and invited 80 of his closest friends. Before he knew it, they had invited their own friends and the group reached more than 1,000 members by the end of the week.
“It’s been tough because everything is happening so fast,” he said. “It’s been an overwhelming response. Everyone seems to love it and wants someone else to try it.”
After weeks of cooking for friends and experimenting in the wee hours of the night, he decided it was time to further explore his options. He secured the location on W. 2nd Street and is in the renovation process right now.
“This just took off. I thought I was going to make 10-20 pizzas for some buddies and get some bragging rights,” he said. “Now, I want to do it right. I want to make the most of it. I want people to try it and enjoy it.”
Owen spent the early portion of his career as an industrial contractor, traveling all over the nation. As a pizza enthusiast, he made it a priority to visit the local pizza establishments.
“I wanted a place in Owensboro where you could get a quality pizza that rivals some of the ones I’ve tried,” he said. “I want to bring some of those tastes back to Owensboro.”
The restaurant will also feature specialty sandwiches and Jay’s Good Grub wings.
“It’s been a great thing. I just kind of got lucky,” he said. “People are anxious. Every time I post a picture, I get an instant reaction. I’m very grateful.”
