Pizza By Alex has been a Biddeford, ME staple since 1960. What’s your secret for keeping generations of loyal customers excited about your pizza?

Steph: Consistency and quality. When you maintain that combination for decades, you are not only selling delicious food, but nostalgia- a connection to another time.

Your menu is one of the most concise that we’ve seen with just one pizza size (10 inches) and 15 topping options. Have you ever wanted to expand the menu??

Steph: Beyond a topping here and there, not really. Our operation is incredibly efficient and lean; by having only one item, we can produce an excellent product consistently and at volume. We have virtually no waste beyond a messed up or abandoned order, and even then we try to donate those pies when we can.

What defines a Greek-style pizza?

Steph: I think it’s mainly two things: pans and prep. Greek-style pies are cooked in oiled pans and prepped ahead of time, as opposed to being stretched to order and baked on the floor of the pizza oven.

We first got to know you when you participated in our Pizza Across America program this past February. Which other community service projects are you particularly proud of?

Steph: For as long as I can remember we’ve hosted a pizza party for Sweetser, a nonprofit community mental health provider. Pre-pandemic, we used to have about 50 kids come party every December with us, and it was always a super fun night to be a part of.

Historically we’ve been a big supporter of local sports teams, school programs, and community theater. I want to continue those traditions, but I’ve also started to highlight the charity interests of our staff. Last week we did a charity night for Extra Life, an annual marathon gaming event that raises money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Normally I wouldn’t have even heard of this group, but one of our employees is a big gamer and has participated in the event for a few years. His enthusiasm for it was contagious and it was an easy thing to say yes to; video games and pizza are a formidable pair, *and* it helps support sick and injured kids in our own community.

What does community mean to Pizza By Alex?

Steph: In a word, responsibility. I think there’s two communities in play here: there’s the community of people we serve and share a city with, and there’s the community of people we employ and share a home with. Some of our people have been with us for 15, 20, or 30 years. Our city is going through some big changes right now; there’s a lot of development going on and growing concerns about affordable housing. As a long-time business here, it’s important to us that we continue to serve and respect the people that have been with us long term, while also making sure we embrace the coming changes so that we can be here for another handful of decades.