Pizza High celebrates first year in business with massive give away

A local pizza shop — that was on the brink of being shut down after scores of health breaches — has made an incredible turnaround thanks to new owners. And to celebrate they’re handing out free pizza.

Pizza High owners Andrew Henty and Katie Lowe with the Hot & Spicy. Picture: Norm Oorloff

With more than 80 pizza joints competing for customers in Windsor securing a slice of the market is no mean feat.

But, in just 12 months Andrew Henty, Katie Lowe and pizza master Alan McHutchison have done just that.

The team took over High on Pizza a year ago and — after revamping and renaming the business — claim it’s the fastest growing of its kind in the area.

“We’re doing about 1000 pizzas every week,” Mr Henty said.

“That’s all from word of mouth. We haven’t done any advertising and only started using social media a couple of months ago.”

It’s a claim backed up by the fact the Pizza High Facebook page has just 76 followers.

Mr Henty, 34, said the team took the venue back to the future to ensure its success.

“There are a lot of slick places doing high end, wood-fired pizzas that are the pricey end of the scale,” he said.

“I counted about 80 in a kilometre radius of our business and not far from where we live in Gardenvale. But we were driving to Vermont for good quality, affordable, family-style pizza from the place I worked at all through uni.”

The Hot & Spicy is a customer favourite. Picture: Norm Oorloff

When one of Windsor’s oldest pizza joints came on the market Mr Henty decided to take the plunge.

“It had changed hands about eight years before that after being run by the same family for 35 years,” he said.

“Unfortunately, in recent times it was neglected and when we took it on we discovered there were 21 noncompliance notices outstanding with Stonnington Council.”

After months of work on the venue it reopened on July 6 last year as Pizza High.

“We had to modernise but wanted to retain as much of the old school style as possible,” Mr Henty said.

“We kept part of the original serving station and customers can still see all the ingredients and watch us prepare their pizza, like it used to be in the ‘90s”.

Mr Henty also convinced his old boss pizzaiolo Alan McHutchison to come on board.

“I used to work with him in Vermont. He is the master. He can make four large Hawaiians in 30 seconds and I’m talking docking (putting holes in) the dough, spreading the sauce, loading the toppings and getting them in the ovens.”

That speed will come in handy when Pizza High celebrates its first anniversary with a massive giveaway on Sunday, July 7.

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“We’re giving away a small pizza to every adult who comes into the shop between noon and 10pm,” Mr Henty said.

“It’s a community event and a way for us to say thank you to all the people who have supported us in our first year.”

Every pizza on the menu will be available from the margherita (usually $8) to the house favourite hot and spicy (usually $10) and the pies from the next level range including the seafood and BBQ meat lovers ($12).

“The focus will be on the free pizzas and we will only be taking orders in store,” Mr Henty said.

Pizza High is at 392 High St, Windsor.