Episode 137 - Village Idiot Pizza Co. with Kelly and Brian Glynn

Village Idiot Pizza has proudly served the Columbia community for over 30 years and has been a fixture of the Five Points district since 1990. Five Points, originally known as “Five Points Village”, was the first commercial district outside of Main Street. The New York style pizza joint and pub was opened by three college friends from New Jersey who lovingly referred to themselves as “the village idiots”. Village Idiot Pizza is one of the longest-standing businesses in the area.Current owners, Kelly and Brian Glynn, who purchased the original enterprise in 2003 have lasting ties to the restaurant. The dynamic duo met at Village Idiot in their 20’s when working at the restaurant -- Kelly as a server and Brian as a cook. Together they have not only expanded to two locations, but built a community around good people and good food. The Glynns actively serve on many committees and boards, and give back through philanthropic efforts like “Pizza for Preemies” to support March of Dimes every November.Kelly Glynn has also received numerous awards for her role in supporting and empowering women in business across the state, including being honored as a 2023 Women of Influence by the Columbia Regional Business Report. Additionally, in recognition of the couple's outstanding contributions to the restaurant industry, the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (SCRLA) inducted Village Idiot Pizza into its Restaurant Hall of Fame in 2022. The couple was further recognized for their influence in Columbia on the FreeTimes 2023 Power List.Village Idiot Pizza has garnered numerous awards, notably being named the Best Pizza in South Carolina by Readers’ Digest and winning the Free Times Best of Columbia: Best Pizza title for five consecutive years. The pizzeria has also been featured in other prestigious publications like Pizza Today and PMQ Magazine.There's always something exciting happening at any Village Idiot Pizza location, from Music Bingo and Trivia nights to an ever-changing Pizza of the Month. Recently, Village Idiot Pizza announced franchise partnership opportunities throughout South Carolina.Thank you so much for watching! If you want to follow Village Idiot you can find them at Village Idiot Pizza! If you would like to follow us you can do so at Here For The Health Of It podcast