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Pizzeria Delores opens in Richmond's Scott's Addition

Pizzeria Delores opens in Richmond's Scott's Addition

Built World Richmond, VA local

Year-old pizza pop-up becomes a brick-and-mortar shop at 3001 W Clay St

September 1st, 2026: BizSense reports opening, notes expansion plans

Overview

Updated Sep 3

Max Sayer and Jacky Welch spent nearly a decade talking about opening a pizza shop. On Aug 21, they opened Pizzeria Delores in Richmond's Scott's Addition—11 days after Virginia's alcohol authority issued the restaurant license that cleared them to serve beer, wine, and cocktails.

The shop is a bet that a nostalgia-driven, counter-service Sicilian slice joint can hold its own on a corner that previously housed two ice cream shops that didn't last.

Why it matters

A new independent pizzeria bets that counter-service nostalgia can stick on a Scott's Addition corner that has churned through tenants.

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Key Indicators

100+
Pies sold at pop-up debut
Pop-up at Susie's Delicatessen in summer 2025 drew a line out the door.
$21–$35
Pizza price range
Signature and build-your-own Sicilian-style pies, per Richmond BizSense.
11
Staff size at opening
Shop runs Thursday through Sunday evenings, 5 to 10 p.m.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

July 2025 September 2026

5 events Latest: September 1st, 2026 · 1 week ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. BizSense reports opening, notes expansion plans

    Latest Coverage

    Richmond BizSense confirms the opening and quotes the founders saying they plan to expand operating hours once able.

  2. Pizzeria Delores opens its doors

    Opening

    The Sicilian-style shop opens in Scott's Addition with a staff of about 11, serving $21-to-$35 pies with house-made ranch.

  3. Virginia ABC issues restaurant license

    Regulatory

    The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority clears Pizzeria Delores to serve alcohol, satisfying the final regulatory hurdle before opening.

  4. Duo leases the corner storefront

    Business

    Sayer and Welch lease the roughly 1,000-square-foot space at 3001 W Clay St, formerly home to ice cream shops King of Pops and Charm School.

  5. Pizzeria Delores debuts as a pop-up

    Launch

    Sayer and Welch sell over 100 pies at Susie's Delicatessen, with a line stretching out the door.

Scenarios

1

Pizzeria Delores expands beyond weekend-evening hours

Likely Resolves by Jan 1, 2027

Discussed by: Founders, quoted in Richmond BizSense, say they plan to expand hours once able

The shop opens Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. with a staff of 11. If evening service draws steady demand, Sayer and Welch add lunch service, more open days, or both. BizSense quoted them saying expansion is the plan for the future.

2

Pizzeria Delores clears the one-year mark

Possible Resolves by Aug 21, 2027

Discussed by: Local food media (Richmond Magazine, Richmond BizSense); restaurant survival benchmarks

The restaurant keeps its ABC license active and continues operating at 3001 W Clay St a year after opening. Passing year one is the baseline for independent restaurants, and holding a corner that housed two closed ice cream shops would be a meaningful win.

3

Pizzeria Delores closes within a year

Unlikely Resolves by Aug 21, 2027

Discussed by: The building's turnover history—King of Pops and Charm School both closed at this address

The same corner has seen two ice cream shops open and close, and independent restaurants frequently fail in their first year. If foot traffic, costs, or the four-day schedule do not generate enough revenue, the shop could follow its predecessors out the door.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2025

Pizzeria Mungo opens in Scott's Addition (2025)

Pizzeria Mungo opened on Arthur Ashe Boulevard in 2025, one of a wave of new restaurants in Scott's Addition. The neighborhood has been converting from light industrial to food, drink, and residential use.

Then

Added another independent pizza option in the neighborhood a year before Pizzeria Delores opened.

Now

Showed the neighborhood can support multiple pizzerias at once.

Why this matters now

Richmond BizSense reports Pizzeria Delores is the second pizzeria to open in Scott's Addition in 2026, after a new Benny's location opened a few blocks over—a sign of a competitive but active local market.

2020s

The ice cream shops at 3001 W Clay St (2020s)

Before Pizzeria Delores, the corner storefront at 3001 W Clay St housed King of Pops and Charm School, two ice cream shops that each opened at the address and later closed. Both names are familiar in Richmond's food scene.

Then

The space sat vacant until Sayer and Welch leased it in fall 2025.

Now

The corner now has a dinner-focused tenant instead of daytime ice cream spots.

Why this matters now

The building's turnover shows the location has not guaranteed success. The new pizzeria is the latest test of whether anything can stick there.

Sources

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