Dave Portnoy Saves Small Baltimore Pizzeria From Going Out of Business On Christmas Day
Dave Portnoy is spreading holiday cheer this Christmas after saving a struggling Baltimore pizzeria from closing their doors for good.
Portnoy, 47, the founder for digital media company Barstool Sports and known for his "One Bite" pizza reviews on YouTube and social media, visited Tiny Brick Oven in Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
The sports media boss got a dose of the "holiday spirit" as he proudly declared he'd get him back up and running "before Christmas."
The shop owner, who goes by Will, informed Portnoy about his struggle to keep the business afloat, detailing that due to the lack of a liquor license and added financial strain, the veteran owner had plans to close his doors permanently on December 25.
The restaurant owner sang praises for Portnoy admitting, "You're like my hero!" saying, "Gosh darn! I didn't even know you were in Baltimore!" Upon hearing his plans to close down, Portnoy was disturbed, asking, "Closed forever?"
After sampling the pizza slice, Portnoy described the pizza as a "Thin, New York kind of style" that he really likes. "There's no way this place should be going out of business. None!" he exclaimed.
"The guy was the most upbeat guy you're ever going to have. Christmas spirit Will," he added. The sports tycoon made a B-line back into the shop, asking how much he needs to stay open for another year. The shopkeeper was reluctant to answer, prompting Portnoy to dig further.
"Well if there was someone super rich right in front of your face who was in the pizza business, and by serendipity was like, 'What do you need to stay open a year,' you gotta give him some figure, cause then he's gonna walk away," Portnoy prompted.
"I think we could probably get our liquor license and continue to stay open if we had $60,000," Will responded before the two shook on it. "Oh my God, this is unbelievable!" he celebrated.
Portnoy — who has a reported net worth of $100 million — started his "One Bite Pizza" reviews back in 2017 with the goal of reviewing every pizza shop in Manhattan. Today, his site ranks pizzerias across the U.S.
As of December 24, 2024, Monte's Restaurant in Lynn, Massachusetts, ranks No. 1 on his list.
