Tampa pizza shop owner takes action to give ‘piece’ of mind to employees amid coronavirus panic

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – The owner of Wood Fired Pizza on East Bearss Avenue in Hillsborough County did something good this week to ensure he does not have to fire any of his employees.

“I called a meeting with my team,” said Peter Taylor, who opened the restaurant in 2008, “and I said, ‘Guys, no one is getting laid off. No one is getting fired.’”

Taylor said he applied for an SBA loan to ensure he could pay his 11 employees in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“These people have done nothing wrong,” he said. “They deserve to have a job. They are the ones that can least afford losing their job.”

He acted and, now, the community is reacting by supporting Taylor and his business.

“People want to buy from someone who does things the right way,” he said. “It is magnetic.”

Taylor admitted he initially saw a steep drop in business when the governor ordered the restaurants to close their doors to customers and to only allow takeout and delivery options.

However, the business at Wood Fired Pizza has surged since Taylor decided to do whatever he needed to do to take care of his employees.

“It really is not an extraordinary thing. It is the right thing,” said Taylor. “Do business the right way. Take care of your people because if you do not take care of your people you have nothing. No one does business with bricks and mortar. They do business with people.”

Taylor is actually looking to hire two new employees to help him handle the constant traffic.

“For all of you pizza makers out there who have been laid off,” said Taylor, “if you think the Wood Fired culture might be a fit and you think you might be a fit for it, I am hiring! Come on in!”

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