GREEN LANTERN

GREEN LANTERN PIZZA BEGAN IN 1955 WHEN THOMAS AND IRENE VETTRAINO PURCHASED AN OLD FARMHOUSE featuring a green lantern outside. The folklore story goes that the green lantern was a sign during times of Prohibition that alcohol could be purchased in the establishment.

The Vettrainos developed a signature recipe for pizza that has remained in the family to this day, through their daughter, Marlene, and their sonin-law, Pete Rodriguez. Rodriguez left his position in healthcare management seven years ago to work as a key part of the family business. In order to establish Green Lantern in Berkey, there was a complete renovation of their space at 4033 on 12 Mile Road (previously Sila's Italian Dining & Pizza). Only the exterior walls were kept intact. Many windows were added for extra light, and a high, visible bar was created. The location opened in early February 2020, a few weeks prior to the Covid19 Pandemic restrictions. This was not an easy time to launch a new location, but Green Lantern had a well-known name and a good reputation. They were able to thrive by fulfilling plenty of carry-out orders. Rodriguez mentioned that the pandemic has really been their main challenge since opening, and it created some shortages of staffing at times. But he emphasized that they have been very resilient and retain a great working team.

RODRIGUEZ DESCRIBES HIS CUSTOMERS being from “all walks of life, all ages, and all professions! We are more of a people business than simply a pizza business. Our focus is on family and it’s great to see everybody interacting.” The Berkley locale is an appealing gathering place; it has a spacious dining area, and a 16-tap bar. It also features a large patio. They offer a full menu of items, including appetizers, subs, salads, sandwiches and sides. Naturally their pizzas are the number one choice, with particularly outstanding reviews for the round pizza, and the deep-dish pizza. Green Lanternstaff pride themselves on using only high-end ingredients and prepping items themselves. For example, they slice their own pepperoni, which Rodriguez added is unusual within the industry. He believes this makes a big difference in how their pizzas taste. Regarding business growth and success, they are scaling up rapidly. The Berkley locale is the seventh new location in the space of a decade, with two more locales due to open later this year. While Berkley is the third full-service pizzeria (with bar & dining room), the two new locales will be delivery/carry-out only. Rodriguez Serving Their Family-Recipe described the Berkley community as a "great fit" for Pizza Since 1955. Green Lantern and is 100% happy that they made the decision to open at this location. n 4033 W. 12 Mile Rd, Berkley | 248.951.9292. Mon-Thurs 11:00 A.M.-11:00 P.M.; Fri & Sat, 11:00 A.M.-Midnight; Sun Noon-11:00 P.M. www.greenlanternpizza.com | www.facebook.com/Green-Lantern-Pizza