Old School Pizza & Wings by Parker’s to Open in Avon Lake

The content seen below is an excerpt from “Two new restaurants coming in familiar locations: Short Takes on Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville” which was originally published on Cleveland.com by Julie A. Short on October 9, 2020. 

In Avon Lake, the space once occupied by Stella’s Italian Restaurant & Lounge and, most recently, Just One More Sports Bar and Grille will now be home to Old School Pizza and Wings, 445 Avon Belden Road.

James and Victoria Mowbray, along with partner Paul Kalberer, own Parker’s Grille & Tavern, 32858 Walker Road. The Mowbrays are teaming up with Andrew Gorski and branching out across the street to open what Victoria calls “an old-fashioned pizza joint.”

“The pizza concept has been a dream of mine,” said Victoria. “I went to the Culinary Institute of America and have experience in a variety of foods. It’s rare now in this area where you can find an old-fashioned pizza joint. I always thought it was a great idea.

“When we first moved to Avon Lake, Stella’s was in this space. We actually met with Bob Stella, who is now 85 years old, and he shared a bunch of old pictures and recipes with us. We plan to have his famous original Butter Cheese Pizza on the menu.

“We are trying to make this place back to the old-fashioned pizzeria places many remember, with the red-and-white checkered tablecloths and nostalgic decor.”

The menu will feature pizza, of course, but also meatball sandwiches, grinders, chicken wings with a variety of traditional sauces, old-fashioned milkshakes and banana splits. A full bar will also be available, offering a variety of spirits, including some old school beers such as Little Kings and Hamm’s.

“We plan to pay homage to Avon Lake and offer a variety of drinks named for Avon Lake, including a Route 83 drink — because no one calls it Avon Belden Road — as well as some football-inspired names for the great teams we have had in the city,” Victoria said.

“Our bartender, Mike Ferrell, is a professional comedian, so he has some great ideas and will make the bar atmosphere fun for everyone.”

The Mowbrays are juggling a lot these days, as they also own Parker’s in downtown Cleveland, which recently renovated and changed its name to Betts.

While the COVID-19 pandemic may have put a strain on some restaurants, the Mowbrays welcome the challenge of opening a new restaurant during these crazy times.

“We have lived in Avon Lake since 2006, and this community has always been very supportive,” said Victoria. “We are grateful to the people who ordered takeout from Parker’s the past several months. If it wasn’t for this amazing community, things may have been different, but we did amazing through COVID.

“There are not a lot of places to eat in Avon Lake, so we feel this new pizzeria will be a great addition. Everybody has their own niche here in Avon Lake.

The owners hope to open the pizzeria before Halloween. The restaurant will be open during the week for dinner, and for lunch and dinner on the weekends. For more information, follow Old School on Facebook or go to oldschoolavonlake.com.