Two Colorado Pizzerias Help Each Other Out During A COVID Scare

The worst part about testing positive from COVID-19, aside from, you know, having COVID, is having to tell everyone to whom you've been in close proximity that they'll have to get tested, too. And if you work at a restaurant, that means the whole place will have to get shut down until everyone's tests come back negative. That's terrible and scary for everyone. And it will cost the restaurant thousands of dollars in lost business.

212 Pizza in Castle Rock, Colorado, recently had to close for ten days after one of its employees tested positive. "We have 36 team members, so risking getting a lot of people sick really easily," co-owner Robin Crooks explained to 9News. "That's what we chose to do."

But that comes with a price: approximately $30,000.

The Crookses didn't want their customers to be pizza-deprived, however, and they also didn't want their supply of pizza ingredients to go unused.

"Ok, who in Castle Rock has food similar to ours?" Crooks said. "You know what, our competitor does. Let's just support them. Competition is only fun when we're both functioning."

So 212 Pizza contacted Granelli's, the other pizza place in Castle Rock, and let the managers know they'd be sending over extra food and customers. The pizzas are different—the owners of 212 describe their product as organic and "weird," while Granelli's is Chicago-style—but cheese is still cheese.

The Granelli's crew was very grateful for the extra business and supplies and decided to show their appreciation by donating 25% of their Friday and Saturday night proceeds to their rivals at 212 to help keep them afloat.

"I thought the fact that she was being so selfless and keeping everybody safe, we should try to give back," Granelli's GM Elizabeth Edwards told 9News. "No matter if she's a pizzeria. Doesn't matter. It's a sense of community here in Castle Rock."

212 Pizza will reopen on Thursday, April 1. At that point, the two pizzerias will become rivals again. But a kumbaya moment is always nice while it lasts. And the COVID virus was not passed to any customers.