Superstars Pizza has been in business 30 years. (Photo by Jay Paul)
Superstars Pizza has just 2,000 Instagram followers, despite being in business for decades. Co-owner Taylor Antonelli says he still meets people who don’t know the Patterson Avenue take-and-bake pizza and sub shop exists. But its loyal patrons know exactly how the Jerry — a sub famed for its secret spicy-mustard-based sauce — should taste. Slinging pies since 1994, Superstars remains a neighborhood favorite.
"We’ve been around since before social media was a thing,” Antonelli says.
The Richmond native operates Superstars with his childhood best friend, Matt McDonald, who is also a partner at Fan institution Joe’s Inn and Richmond music venue The Broadberry.
Originally founded by a pair from Colorado — where the take-and-bake model is popular — the niche pizza concept was the first of its kind in the Richmond area.
Coincidentally, Antonelli worked at the dry-cleaning business across the street from Superstars when he was a teenager. During lunch breaks, he’d pop into the shop to grab a slice of Virginian white pizza. “I had no clue I would one day be the owner,” he says.
After graduating with a degree in hospitality and tourism management from Virginia Tech and spending years working in restaurants, Antonelli became a general manager at Jason’s Deli — until one day he got a call.
“It was the owner of the cleaner’s, and he said, ‘Will you talk to the guy who owns Superstars? He’s looking for someone to take it over for him and sort of take it to the next level,’” Antonelli recalls.
That was nearly 20 years ago. Recognizing the value of consistency and customer service, Antonelli says, “Richmond has a pretty loyal community if you can be a good ambassador of that community.”
