Cafe Pizzaria celebrates 50 years as Bloomington eatery

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Cafe Pizzaria.\nCafe Pizzaria, 405 Kirkwood Ave., was founded in February 1953 by current Nick's English Hut owner Richard Barnes, store manager Andrew Storrs said. \nLarry Webb, the current owner, started working at Cafe Pizzaria in 1962. He managed the store in 1971 and bought the building in 1986. The atmosphere and decor have been similar over the years, which leads to the alumni consistently returning, Webb said.\nThough Cafe Pizzaria was not Bloomington's first restaurant to serve pizza, it was the first "pizzeria," Webb said. It has been serving its New York-style pies since its inception. \nBob and Allen Linnemeier, a father and son, said they are consistent customers. Bob Linnemeier, 53, said he remembers being taken to the pizzeria by his parents ever since he was 9 years old. \n"They used to throw their own pizzas, and you could see it in the window," Bob Linnemeier said.\nAllen Linnemeier said he is now following his father's behavior of eating at Cafe Pizzaria almost every weekday for lunch.\nBecause the locals are very loyal, Webb said business stays consistent throughout the year. \nSome crave the Cafe Pizzaria food even though they can't come to Bloomington.\n"We've frozen pizzas and shipped them to Chicago, Texas, Florida -- all over the place," Webb said. \nOne alumni still in town, Jade Butcher, a football player who is pictured in the original room of the pizzeria, said he remembers when he would run to Cafe Pizzaria in the early 1960s for his 45-minute lunch break from Binford Junior High School, which was located near the College Mall. He said he also remembers hanging out with friends at the pizzeria on Sunday evenings when the dorms were closed for eating. \nThey make the best pizzas and strombolis in town, Butcher said.