For Nate Thomas, Brumby's Pizza in Bellville is a labor of love.
"I've always wanted to own a pizza shop," he told the Mount Vernon News. "It's been a dream of mine since high school. I love pizza."
In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched a food delivery company.
"We ended up working with 15 different restaurants," Thomas said. "We had 15 drivers supporting these restaurants during COVID. It made me realize that I like the hospitality side of the food industry, serving people and making somebody's day better."
Last summer, he learned that the owner of Brumby's was thinking about retiring and the conversations began about selling the business to Thomas.
"We purchased it in November of 2022," he said. "It's a dream come true for me. It's the perfect business for me."
There were some surprises at first.
"I didn't realize how expensive cheese and pepperoni are," he said.
Brumby's has home delivery, and although Thomas did not purchase the adjoining coffee house, it is available for pizza customers who want to dine in.
His goals are clear.
"I want to create wildly good food, bring big-city flavor and keep small-town hospitality, " Thomas said.
One specific pizza added to the menu in November is called hot honey pizza.
"It's pepperoni, bacon and Mike's Hot Honey all over the whole thing," Thomas said. "It's our best-selling pizza."
A father of four, he is also committed to the future of Bellville and Ohio.
"We have been in the Bellville community for about seven years through church and other activities," Thomas said. "My hope is to expand Brumby's to Mount Vernon. People like me want to create a place where we can raise our families. As a young entrepreneur, I have an opportunity to help contribute to the town I raise my family in."
