Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports and the man behind the viral “One Bite” pizza reviews, has taken on a new role as a holiday hero for a struggling Baltimore pizzeria.
Tiny Brick Oven, a veteran-owned establishment in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, was on the verge of closing its doors forever—until Portnoy stepped in.
During a mid-December pizza tour through Maryland, Portnoy visited several well-known eateries, including Pizza John’s in Essex and Angeli’s Pizzeria in Little Italy, according to The Baltimore Banner.
But it was his stop at Tiny Brick Oven that captured the spirit of Christmas and shone a harsh light on the neglect small businesses face under Democrat-led policies in cities like Baltimore.
Owner Will Fagg shared the devastating news with Portnoy: the shop would close permanently on Christmas Day.
“We’re getting ready to close, man. We can’t get our liquor license here. It’s been like crazy… we’re just not making any money, man. The thing is, our politicians gave this market down here their liquor license, but they won’t give us ours,” Will told Portnoy.
Years of financial strain, compounded by the lack of a liquor license and the absence of meaningful support from city officials,