Carol Cain

Detroit Free Press Business Columnist

Detroit may be the pizza capital of the nation given the plethora of national chains headquartered here like Domino’s, Little Caesars, Hungry Howie’s, Jet's and others.

But there’s still room for other pizza makers, too, according to Eric Greenwald, chief operating officer of Grimaldi’s Pizzeria.

He just opened a location at Southland Center in Taylor last week. Two years in the planning, the eatery is its 50th store for the company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., and its first foray into Michigan.

Grimaldi's has 49 other company-owned stores in 14 states with an aggressive plan for more growth.

“It’s fitting we are opening our historic 50th location in Michigan at one of the premier retail, dining and gathering destinations in metro Detroit,” Greenwald said. “We look forward to sharing our high-quality, award-winning pizza and community-focused values with such a vibrant market.”

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Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is known for its coal-fired, brick-oven gourmet pizzas and calzones, salads and desserts.

Folklore has it crooner Frank Sinatra was so smitten with the product that he would fly Grimaldi’s pizzas to Las Vegas back in the day.

Though the company was started in New York by Patsy Grimaldi, it was sold along with the name to restaurateur Frank Ciolli in 1994. Ciolli’s son Joseph, who serves as CEO of Grimaldi’s, went to school with Greenwald at Arizona State University. Both were from the East Coast and fans of Grimaldi’s.

Ciolli decided to open a Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Tempe, Ariz., and Greenwald helped him. They moved the company’s headquarters to Scottsdale soon after, where they have been growing.

(Patsy Grimaldi is no longer involved. He later started another pizzeria called Juliana’s Pizza, which is housed in the location where Grimaldi’s got its start in Brooklyn).

The Taylor Grimaldi’s is large — 5,000 square feet — and can seat up to 170 diners. It includes a covered patio and a private banquet room. The pizzeria has 70 employees.

“We make most of our own ingredients, or have it made specifically for us,” said Greenwald, “so we are consistent in all our stores. When people come to Grimaldi’s, they know what to expect ... great food and a comfortable atmosphere.”

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria also has healthy carry-out business.

It’s a formula that is working as the company grows.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria just inked a deal to open five stores in the United Arab Emirates over the next five years in partnership with Tablez Food Co.

Greenwald said talks are under way, too, with other investment groups to secure franchise partners to introduce and develop the brand in places such as Southeast Asia, South America, Central America, Europe, Mexico, Canada and Australia.

Greenwald and Ciolli have put their focus on building upon their New York heritage.

“When you walk in, you get that old-school feeling of being back in New York,” Greenwald said.

The restaurants all feature red and white checkered tablecloths, chandeliers made from wine bottles and old tunes from the Sinatra era are played on the sound system.

There’s also a giant coal-brick oven centrally displayed so families and patrons can watch through a glass partition as their pizza is being made. The ovens are heated by 100 pounds of coal per day at a temperature of up to 1,200 degrees, giving it a smoky-flavored thin crust.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria won the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

Greenwald said they will watch to see how the Taylor store does before adding more locations here. He mentioned other potential markets such as Ann Arbor, Grosse Pointe and Bloomfield Hills.

He hopes to open another 50 stores globally — including franchises — in the next five years.

“The key to success is three things: people, product and service,” he added.

It’s more than just a mantra for the company — it’s a game plan he hopes will take Grimaldi’s Pizzeria to the global stage in a big-time way.

Carol Cain can be reached at 313-222-6732 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of “Michigan Matters,” which airs at 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See Denise Ilitch, Cliff Russell, Lena Epstein, Judy Hayner and Mary Romaya on today’s show.