Neil and Otto’s becomes Pazzo’s

The former Neil and Otto’s Pizzeria has not changed drastically since Paul Neri bought it from its previous owners in August 2009.

Recently, however, Neri and his employees have made strides in transitioning the restaurant to its new look, hanging a sign that reads “Pazzo’s Pizzeria” and painting the walls inside.

After Neri, the former owner of Angelo’s Pub (now Two Brothers Tavern) received the permit for the restaurant’s new name, he sent the old sign to a local artist, Matthew Hall, who painted it. The sign now features a portrait of Neri with the new name around it.

“Matthew Hall sanded it down, painted it and put a nice mustache on me,” Neri said.

According to Neri, now that the ball is rolling he will begin to implement some of his ideas for the new restaurant. He hopes to add pasta, lasagna and desserts to the menu and eventually turn part of the restaurant into an arcade fun center.

Neri admitted that he faces tough competition with Flatbread and Ramunto’s nearby. He noted that to become a successful restaurant, Pazzo’s Pizzeria must target college students.

“I noticed that the business with the College dropped off a few years ago,” Neri said.

Neri attributed this dip in business from the College to the previous owners’ lack of advertisements.

“They never targeted the College,” Neri said.

“They geared the business towards the town, which can only go so far.”

Students remain unaware of Pazzo’s Pizzeria, which is located next to Carol’s Hungry Mind Café.

“I hadn’t heard about Pazzo’s Pizza but it would be really great to get actual pizza from a pizza parlor as opposed to the Ross dining hall version,” said William Ford ’12.5.

Neri pointed to a college student special that the pizzeria still offers. For nine dollars, Pazzo’s Pizzeria will deliver a large cheese pizza to the College.

Outside delivery services cannot enter dorm rooms, but they can meet students at building entrances. Logistical problems with deliveries sometimes get in the way — without the luxury of entering the college buildings, employees must call the student when they are outside. The students do not always respond, which delays a chain of deliveries.

“Ten years ago, there was a separate van for the College,” Neri said.

“They could go right up to the dorm rooms to deliver.”

Neri also hopes to serve beer and wine at the restaurant in the near future. As it stands, the building landlord and pastor of the Grace Baptist Church has stipulated that building tenants cannot sell alcohol from the property.

Currently, Neri and his employees are working hard to make a smooth transition while maintaining the pizza’s quality.

“I do all the cleaning and prep and half the cooking,” Neri said. “I’m trying to keep the quality up and clean the place up.”