EDITOR'S NOTE: During the coronavirus outbreak, the Herald is profiling efforts being made by local businesses to aid customers and to stay viable during this historic disruption to commerce.
Pete’s Za has removed minimum delivery charges and hopes to expand the range of drivers, all in an effort to generate more sales during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ownership of the Grand Forks pizza shop, located at 2400 South Washington St., has had to reduce labor costs due to the loss of in-store business. Bob Twedt, one of the owners, said he has increased his own hours to work in the store, which has, like other restaurants, had to focus on delivery and pick-up orders because of the pandemic.
“We've been stressing our delivery aspect and contact-free delivery and all that good stuff,” said Twedt.
Before the pandemic Pete’s Za offered a buffet, something he would like to do again. The buffet was started about a year ago, and is now on hold, like all dine-in restaurants. It makes the push for delivery all the more important.
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In pursuit of that goal, Twedt said he hasn’t forgotten the area’s first-responders, and he has distributed special coupons to fire departments in town.
“(We’re) trying to keep the first-responders and everybody else that’s fighting this thing in good graces,” Twedt said. “They are well appreciated.”
Twedt said he is looking at increasing the delivery area for his business, in order to reach more customers. The shop’s delivery area covers Grand Forks/East Grand Forks and Thompson.
“From our location here we can generally get to Thompson quicker than we can get to East Grand Forks, a lot of the time,” said Twedt.
He has started to advertise to communities outside his delivery area, and is considering beginning deliveries to Manvel and Emerado.
“If we get some people that are interested, yeah we would,” Twedt said.
The pizza shop, of course, is also offering curbside pick-up so customers can maintain social distance. There is a drive-thru window on the north side of the building, which Twedt jokes is a little bit “backwards.”
“You retrieve your food through the passenger window,” he said.
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If you would like to see your business appear in Retail Reacts, contact Herald business reporter Adam Kurtz at akurtz@gfherald.com . Not all requests will lead to stories. The Herald will choose from among a wide swath of Greater Grand Forks businesses.
