TOLEDO, Ohio — In a story of triumph after tragedy, the Bambino's Pizza and Subs on Eleanor Avenue in west Toledo is not going to let two robberies in one week run them out of business.
Owner Hella Joseph said nothing is going to chase them away. If anything, safety is being pushed front and center for both his employees and the customers, he said.
Brian Adamckewski has worked at Bambino's for the last three years and has been in the food service industry for more than 30. He has always been in the kitchen, and usually not in the front of the house until he started a Bambino's. He had also never been involved in a robbery until Bambino's was hit on Thursday and June 29.
"I was here [Thursday] when the dude pulled a gun on me," Adamckewski said. "I was dumbfounded. I was, I just didn't think it was actually happening. I don't know."
Although no arrests have been made, Adamckewski believes both robberies were committed by the same person.
"Pretty sure it was the same guy because they said something about ... a blue bag," Adamckewski said. "'Where's the blue bag at?' I said, 'He had said that to the same lady last week.' Same description too."
The restaurant was robbed for just over $100 each time, Joseph said. It's this very reason why his stores and his delivery drivers don't carry cash.
"Been here for nine years, never had any incidents. The neighborhood has been very good to us. This isn't going to change," Joseph said.
Joesph's family has been in the food industry for over 40 years. The restaurant on Eleanor Avenue is one of five locations he owns. He said as a responsible business owner, he's not taking any more chances.
"We got more cameras. We got locks on doors. We got buzzers on the door to let people in," Joseph said.
Adamckewski said he's happy about the beefing up of security.
"No one can just come on in and rob this place now," he said. "They're going to have to actually, probably break the door down or shoot it."
Joseph agreed.
"You're not getting far and you're not going to get away," he said.
The new security measures are just as much for his customers, he said, as they are for his employees. Joseph said there is no need for unnecessary bloodshed or accidents and doesn't want anybody to try to be a hero.
"No Pizza Hero," Joseph said. "They're not replaceable, money is, everything else is. But I can't imagine how I would feel, god forbid, something were to happen."
The security is there to stay. And so is the pizza.
"We're a staple in the community," Joseph said. "We've rebuilt and rebranded, again these little things are not going to run us away. We're going to do what we can to show that we're here to stay."
The restaurant is open for delivery from 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. seven days a week and for pickup from 11 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.