Janelle Irwin Taylor
Tour De Pizza’s flagship restaurant in the Northeast Shopping Center is now a Westshore Pizza.
Owner Matt McClellan gave the store up after his longterm lease ended and his new rent would have become unsustainable for the small business owner.
The original lease had a 3% cap on yearly rent increases, but when it ended, Publix, which owns the property, wanted to charge market value for the space, which would have increased rent by about $2,000 a month, McClellan said.
But not to worry pizza fans, McClellan is still operating Tour De Pizza Deux using the same cycling-themed decor, fresh ingredients and healthier recipes it’s been known for more than a decade in northeast St. Pete.
The remaining location is located at 8824 4th St. N. in St. Pete and seats up to 75.
For now, the restaurant’s hours are limited. They’re open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 4-9 p.m. McClellan told Florida Politics he hopes to expand hours to midnight soon and plans to expand to breakfast hours also, serving up McClellan’s famous breakfast pizzas.
He also plans to serve Kahwa coffee when that expansion occurs.
There had been some confusion about Tour De Pizza’s continued existence as Westshore Pizza took over the original location, but signs are now up branding the Westshore Pizza franchise as such.
But not too far away, McClellan still wants customers to know they can still get the same signature pizzas not too far down the road. That includes his namesake pizza, the McClellan, which features white zesty garlic sauce, mozzarella, fresh spinach, Roma tomatoes, mushrooms, spicy sausage and fresh-chopped basil.
McClellan said it was important to him to continue serving his community. As he spoke, McClellan was chopping ingredients, even though the restaurant was closed, to make breakfast pizzas for teachers at nearby Lynch Elementary, a token throw back to his community-minded drive.
But McClellan is not only a restauranteur. He’s also a successful radio host for Knockout Radio and travels all over the country covering UFC fights, fighters and issues. Having one restaurant instead of two means McClellan can pursue that career while also continuing to provide fresh pizzas for his longtime clients.
McClellan bought the second Tour De Pizza location in 2014, but later sold it to focus on his flagship store. When the new owners went out of business, he bought it back about a year and a half ago, McClellan said.
Now his focus is on building that restaurant to the same glory he found in the Northeast shopping plaza.
His message to diners, come on by for a slice, because they’re still around.
