For 40 years, Pizza Man restaurant dominated the corner at Oakland and North Avenues, winning fans from across the social specturm with a popular thin-crusted pizza and an extensive wine list.
The building was destroyed in a four-alarm fire that broke out around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday. The loss of an iconic business reminded some East Siders of the blaze that ruined Century Hall. On April 24, 1988 the venerable bar / restaurant / gathering place burned as dozens of residents watched in tearful horror.
Others remembered flames engulfing Beans & Barley in 1993 and, later, Sweet Doomed Angel, behind it on Farwell Avenue.
Pizza Man, with its extensive woodwork and cozy vibe, will inspire some of the same emotions.
Do you have a favorite Pizza Man memory? Use the Talkback feature to list it here.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
