&Pizza opened its doors in 2012, and has been on the expansion fast track every since. CEO Michael Lastoria explains how his company grew from one Washington, D.C. location to 23 along the East Coast. The company recently closed a round of funding led by RSE Ventures. Lastoria says that the company plans to use the capital to open 15 stores in the next year. At least four will be in New York City. &Pizza plans to expand to Miami and Boston as well. Community is at the heart of &Pizza's business model. Each of the company-owned locations partner with local artists and organizations. Lastoria is also a fervent advocate for increasing the federal minimum wage. He says that morally, it is the right thing to do. Lastoria has spent time on Capitol Hill lobbying Congress on the issue.

Share:
More In Business
Layoffs are piling up, raising worker anxiety
It's a tough time for the job market. Amid wider economic uncertainty, some analysts have said that businesses are at a “no-hire, no fire” standstill. At the same time, some sizeable layoffs have continued to pile up — raising worker anxieties across sectors. Some companies have pointed to rising operational costs due to U.S.'s new tariffs, while others have redirected money to artificial intelligence investments. Workers in the public sector have also been hit hard. Federal jobs were cut by the thousands earlier this year. And many workers are now going without pay as the U.S. government shutdown has now dragged on for more than a month.
Load More