This holiday season, the spirit of giving was alive and well, thanks to a generous act by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who saved a veteran-owned Baltimore pizzeria from shutting down with a $60,000 donation. His act of kindness has not only ensured the continued operation of TinyBrickOven but has also sparked a surge in customer orders, bringing the business a much-needed boost.
The story unfolded in mid-December when Portnoy was in Maryland to attend the Army-Navy football game. During his visit, he made a stop at TinyBrickOven, located in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, to wrap up a day of filming his viral pizza reviews. It was there that he met the pizzeria’s owner, Will Fagg, a Navy veteran who was working behind the counter.
A Desperate Situation for TinyBrickOven
Fagg shared with Portnoy that, despite his best efforts, his beloved pizzeria was facing closure. The inability to acquire a liquor license, combined with cash flow issues, meant that TinyBrickOven would close its doors for good on Christmas Day.
“We can’t get our liquor license here,” Fagg explained in the video that was uploaded to social media. “Our politicians gave this market down here their liquor license, but they won’t give us ours… it’s really disappointing.”
Portnoy’s Instant Support
After tasting the pizza, Portnoy was impressed, and he made his opinion clear. “This is a thin, New York kind of style. I really like it,” Portnoy said during his review. “There’s no way this place should be going out of business. None.”
As he read the box, Portnoy noticed a sticker that read, “Every purchase supports a veteran.” That’s when he decided to act. He turned to Fagg and asked how much money he needed to keep the pizzeria open for another year.
Fagg, stunned by the question, hesitated before responding, “I think we could probably get our liquor license and continue to stay open if we had $60,000.”
Without missing a beat, Portnoy immediately agreed. “Done,” he said, shaking Fagg’s hand to seal the deal.
The Impact of the Donation
Portnoy’s viral pizza review has been viewed over 12 million times on his X (formerly Twitter) account, sparking an overwhelming response. Business at TinyBrickOven exploded as a result, with Fagg reporting lines out the door and phones ringing nonstop on Christmas Eve. He also shared that a fundraiser set up prior to the pizza review had surpassed $50,000 within 24 hours of going live.
“We’ve never had a crowd like this,” Fagg said. “People say it’s a Christmas miracle. It kind of feels like a Christmas miracle!”
A Pizzeria Built on Giving
TinyBrickOven has always been more than just a pizzeria for Fagg, who has used his business to give back to the community. After opening in 2019, Fagg learned of a disabled Vietnam veteran who had lost his home in a house fire. Despite being a new business owner, Fagg donated 20% of his shop’s earnings for the week to help with repairs.
As a Navy Corpsman, Fagg has always been committed to helping others, especially fellow veterans. “Navy Corpsmen and Marines have a long history of helping each other, so when I saw this story, it really broke my heart and I wanted to do something to help,” he said in an interview with local news outlet WMAR.
In addition to supporting veterans, Fagg has used his pizzeria to feed the homeless and raise funds for the Maryland Food Bank. His dedication to the community has made TinyBrickOven a beloved institution in Baltimore.
A Bright Future for TinyBrickOven
With Portnoy’s generous donation and the outpouring of support from the community, TinyBrickOven’s future is looking bright. Fagg now has the funds needed to keep the pizzeria open, and he’s hopeful that the momentum will continue as the business thrives in the coming year.
Portnoy’s Christmas gift has not only saved a veteran-owned business but has also highlighted the power of community support and the importance of giving back.
TinyBrickOven’s story is a testament to the spirit of the holiday season, showing that sometimes, a little bit of kindness can go a long way in changing lives.
