Struggling pizzeria gets $60K Christmas miracle to stay open

BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ) – The power of social media turned into a Christmas miracle for a struggling pizzeria owner in Baltimore.

Will Fagg, the owner of Tiny Brick Oven Pizza in Maryland, said he was days away from having to close his restaurant.

“We weren’t making any money. The market opened and everyone inside was allowed to sell alcohol, and we were never allowed to sell alcohol,” he said.

But when the founder of Barstool Sports, Dave Portnoy, walked into the restaurant, things turned around for Fagg.

During a social media video, Portnoy gave the pizza a solid 7.9 score and asked how much Fagg would need to stay open for another year.

Fagg explained he thought they could get a liquor license and continue to stay open for about $60,000.

His video went viral and on Christmas Eve, Tiny Brick oven had a line out the door while the phones rang off the hook.

“We’ve never had a line like this,” Fagg said of the crowd.

Employee Cynthia Streeter said her boss is the most deserving person of this special gift.

She said he found her stranded in the cold after she missed her bus last weekend. Then he offered her a ride home and a part-time job.

After the video went viral, the donations kept pouring in.

“It’s an incredible feeling. I’ve always had a lot of community support. It’s overwhelming, and I really thank everybody so much,” Fagg said.

Portnoy began filming pizza reviews in 2013 on his app and website, One Bite.

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