HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Despite the pandemic, many businesses were able to open their doors for the first time last year.
Valentina's Pizzeria and Wine Bar has now been open for one year, again, despite opening its doors during a pandemic.
But for one local foodie influencer, Ricky Garcia, this isn't your usual spot for a pizza shop.
"I don't know if you can tell where we are, we're in the middle of nowhere. There's crop dusters out here, there's one road," said Garcia.
However, in the middle of nowhere, stands that successful pizzeria.
"To pull off a business, this successful in the middle of nowhere is insane," said Garcia.
Like most things though, there were hardships along the way. Mainly including staffing, an issue many businesses are facing across the country.
"I mean, how hard is it to open up a restaurant - one. Open up a successful restaurant, keep it going during a pandemic, as it is; add the middle of nowhere to that and he's been able to pull it off," said Garcia.
All things business aside, there is one thing Joe Carlucci, owner of Valentina's Pizzeria does not have to worry about... and that's his legacy.
"Well, I won an award about 10 or 15 years ago for the highest pizza toss at the Mall of America for the Guinness World Record for highest pizza toss," said Carlucci.
"He threw it super high, higher than the building, his old building he had, and I want to be just like that," said Valentina Carlucci, daughter of Joe.
"My daughter and I were looking through a Guinness Book and she saw my name for it, and said, 'how do I get my name in that book?' I said, 'well, you'd have to attempt a kid's Guinness World Record and we'd have to practice.' And she said, 'well, I want to do that.' I said, 'if you want to do it, we can do it. I don't want you to do it for Daddy, I want you to do it for Valentina,'" said Joe Carlucci.
And doing it for Valentina is exactly what Valentina is going to do!
"Well, I like to help out just for fun, and then also, I like to get paid! [laughs] And I like to help out daddy, a lot, because it's really fun working at a restaurant, actually," said Valentina Carlucci.
When asked if she was going to follow in the footsteps of her father and run her own store one day, her answer was sure-fire.
"Yes, of course I do!" said Valentina Carlucci.
But beyond all the awards, Joe Carlucci could receive, that... was enough for him.
"Let's just say, there's no award that I can win, past, present or future that will have the effect that it had today; watching her do it, wanting to do it, and not giving up and keep trying," said Joe Carlucci.