Not Your Average Joe’s
How Joe’s Pizza’s Pete Levin maintains their authentic New York style while adapting to an Ann Arbor and the pandemic
—By Alex Vena
The clock strikes 12 as you step foot onto South University Avenue on a weekend night out. Amid the blaring speakers of the various bars lining the street competing for your attention and patronage, one noise unmistakably overpowers them both—the grumbling of your stomach.
Around the corner appears a line extending as far as to the West Engineering Arch that to a hungry student, leads to Heaven’s gates, the doorway to Joe’s Pizza. Unlike the bars, this revered institution remains open until 2:00 in the morning on weekends. Once reaching the end of the line, you undergo an out of body experience, as you take a bite full of a crunchy crust thin enough to fold in your hand, and ooey, gooey cheese pulls as you pull the slice out of your mouth.
Although the sound of loud music and nightlife has been primarily replaced by the noises of construction since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Joe’s Pizza has remained not just a staple on South U, but throughout the University of Michigan campus, New York City, and the world.
“A Great Story”
A New York City favorite frequented by celebrities, whose pictures of them visiting the store grace the pizzeria’s walls, and even featured in the 2004 Spiderman 2 film, the Joe’s name defines pizza for many. However, up until September 2019, the only Joe’s locations resided in the Big Apple, until two University of Michigan alumni, Pete Levin and Ian Lafkowitz, visiting for a football game against Wisconsin in 2018, had a vision amidst the South University construction.
“We saw the building going up, it was under construction, new construction, where we are, and it kind of solidified” Levin exclaimed. “We did not come out here for that purpose. We actually came out here to look at other business opportunities, but when we saw that building going up, and we were just like shooting the shit about it, we were like, maybe this is the next Joe’s!”
Both already knowing the campus well, Levin and Lafkowitz were able to sign a lease, build the space, and open within a year. This business venture being the first ever Joe’s Pizza outside of New York, let alone being located on their old stomping grounds, made for, in Levin’s words, “a great story.”
The Slice Is Right
“We knew there was a demand, knowing there was not really good pizza in general [in Ann Arbor], but no good New York style pizza, so we knew that would work out, but it was a different market than we planned on expanding to.”
By “good pizza,” Levin is referring to New York style pizza, which is known for its fairly large portions and its respected order of thin crust, rich tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese, as well as any additional toppings you desire. Being located in the Midwest, pizza shops around Michigan serve a variety of kinds of pizza, whether it be a wannabe New York slice or a shoddy attempt at a classic Chicago deep dish pie.
However, as a New Jersey native, I can wholeheartedly attest to the authenticity of the Joe’s New York style slice, despite its remote location in Ann Arbor. Levin and Lafkowitz went to great lengths in order to ensure the same quality of slice served in each of the other five New York City locations. Staff members from the New York stores were moved out to Ann Arbor to make their famous pies, and water from Michigan was even shipped back to New York to use, with every other ingredient used in New York staying the same, in order to test the “water theory,” which suggests that the secret to the light, yet crispy New York style thin crust is the hard New York water.
Nonetheless, Levin would not reveal too much regarding this secret. “We have played around a lot with the water, but we’re really happy with where it’s at, that’s all I can say on the water.” Now, besides the water, what is key to a truly delicious slice of pizza? Simplicity. To quote the official Joe’s Pizza website, “At Joe’s, you won’t find any pretentious concoctions nor do we serve bargain pizza made with who-knows-what. It’s just the old-school, real deal New York Pizza. No string-bean, asparagus covered, wild turkey surprise pizza here.”
Levin reiterated this sentiment upon being asked what distinguishes Joe’s Pizza as an establishment from other pizzerias, as he stated, “People always lean to our simplicity with our pizza, rather than a lot of the more overcomplicated, heavy choices out there. We keep it light and simple and let the ingredients speak for themselves.” This explains the mere eight options featured on the Joe’s Ann Arbor pizza counter, but not to fret—customers can choose to customize their slice or pie from a list of 14 different toppings, ranging from pepperoni, to mushrooms, to the more recent addition of pickled jalapeño peppers.
Adapting to COVID-19
Unfortunately, Joe’s Pizza in Ann Arbor has faced many more trials and tribulations other than perfecting their New York slice. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the University of Michigan campus in mid-March, about six months after the Joe’s Ann Arbor opening. One of the difficulties that Levin and Lafkowitz were aware of and ready to face was the fact that unlike the New York Joe’s locations, the Ann Arbor location would inherently run as a seasonal business, as students, who mainly only occupy Ann Arbor for the academic year (late August to early May), serve as both the main clientele and the cashier staff. The pandemic cut their prime business season about a month and a half short, and this abnormal school year has afflicted both in-person business and cashier availability.
In order to combat this, multiple safety measures, including an incentive program for student cashiers to get tested through the university, have been implemented to remain pro-safety. This incentive program involves giving $10 in Joe’s Pizza credit to student cashiers each time they submit proof of their COVID test results. In regard to the safety measures inside of the store, masks are required by both staff members and customers at all times, there is currently no indoor dining inside of the store, there is a glass screen dividing the cashier from the customer, and customers who choose to pay with Apple Pay, credit, or debit cards use a pin pad that remains untouched by the cashier to complete their transaction.
In addition to in-store precautions, all delivery orders must be paid for over the phone or online with a credit card. Not only are delivery orders being done through Joe’s Pizza staff directly, but through the incorporation of third-party delivery services such as UberEats, DoorDash, and Snackpass. Although they knew that they would eventually offer delivery service, Joe’s did not start out offering delivery, for they wanted to perfect the slice business, which Levin cites as “the main focus of the business, in New York and here.” However, delivery services have increased customer availability, especially while catering to a primarily student-aged market.
Keeping It Simple
Between adapting to the Ann Arbor campus, and then eventually a pandemic, Joe’s Pizza Ann Arbor has worked hard to make a name for itself, while maintaining its authentic New York City roots. Levin, insisting on the simplicity of the institution as the key to its success, cites the cheese and pepperoni slices, as well as the fresh mozzarella slice topped with Zingerman’s fresh mozzarella, as their most popular menu items, but has recently been enjoying the Sicilian slice. “I’ve been really into the Sicilian lately.… I would say either the Sicilian or the straight cheese slice [are my favorite]. Keep it simple.”
Featured image: Joe’s Pizza Ann Arbor on a snowy Michigan afternoon. Photo by Pete Levin.