Bailey Loosemore

@bloosemore

For 61 years, Hall's Cafeteria served the people who lived and worked in Butchertown, becoming a landmark of the downtown neighborhood until it closed in December 2016.

Now, a new restaurant plans to take over in the business's old location, renovating the cafeteria's two-story building at the corner of Story Avenue and Cabel Street across from the JBS Swift pork processing plant.

The new spot will honor the former restaurant by bearing part of its name, and it'll provide affordable lunch and dinner options to residents and workers in the neighborhood. But it will no longer serve cafeteria-style dishes and will instead focus on one thing: pizza.

Butchertown Pizza Hall is the vision of Allan Rosenberg, the founder of Papalinos Pizza who's also spent the better part of 20 years working off and on at Anoosh Bistro.

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He hasn't been in the pizza business since selling the Papalinos brand a few years back, but he's eager to return with the new restaurant located just down the street from his Butchertown home.

"I chose pizza because there's a very large demand from people to do pizza again, so I'd be stupid not to," Rosenberg said. "I think it's a really good vehicle that you can be creative with. It appeals to everybody, appeals to all ages. ... And it's an affordable thing."

Rosenberg and his wife, Shelly, are leasing the first floor of the building at 1301 Story Ave. from developer Andy Blieden, who also owns the Butchertown Market and properties in the Butcher Block.

Blieden has recently renovated spaces for a handful of new eateries, including Pho Ba Luu and Hi-Five Doughnuts. But he said the neighborhood is still underserved when it comes to dining options.

"That's part of the plan, you know, to try and keep the momentum going with a focus on quality," Blieden said. "I think that's really important, that when we make decisions, we are trying to get the best that we possibly can."

Blieden is partially responsible for getting Rosenberg back in the pizza game, but Rosenberg and his wife will be wholly responsible for seeing the business to fruition.

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Rosenberg said they are sole owners of the venture, and they plan to completely renovate the Hall's Cafeteria space, adding an arcade along with seating for 100 people.

Recipes for the pizzas will come from Rosenberg, whose specialty is New York-style, with a thicker edge crust and a multitude of toppings. Pizza will be offered in pies or by the slice, and Rosenberg said he plans to use the best local ingredients he can find, including meats that he'll cure on-site.

Prices at the pizzeria will be affordable, and Rosenberg said he hopes to replace Hall's as a lunch spot for JBS workers.

If all goes well, Butchertown Pizza Hall should be open in June, Rosenberg said.

Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at 502-582-4646 or bloosemore@courier-journal.com.

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