Howlett Restaurant Group Opens Romeo’s Pizza in Hubbard

HUBBARD, Ohio – Howlett Restaurant Group today opened a Romeo’s Pizza store at 124 W. Liberty St. in Hubbard. It marks the fourth Romeo’s franchise for Howlett, which plans to open a total of 30 in northeastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and the Tampa, Fla., area.

Howlett already has Romeo’s franchises in Salem, Calcutta and Streetsboro. A fifth will open in mid-June on U.S. Route 224 in Poland, said Patrick Howlett, CEO and president of Howlett Restaurant Group.

Howlett’s company also owns and operates the Coaches Burger Bar chain, which has locations in Austintown, Calcutta, Poland, Canton and Salem.

Romeo’s Pizza was founded in 2001 in Medina, where it remains based. The growing chain currently has 47 locations, mainly in the Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, Canton and Youngstown areas, with a smattering in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Indiana. 

Howlett said he was sold on Romeo’s Pizza because of its successful management and also its taste.

“The sauce is very sweet,” he said. “It’s a great product. There is a lot of chain pizza out there and the sauce is all the same. But this is distinctive, sweet. It gives it a whole different flavor profile.”

Before launching Coaches, Howlett was a regional manager for a national pizza restaurant chain.

Romeo’s pizza is hand-tossed from a hearty dough that is made fresh daily in each store. Each shop also sells a deep-dish pizza “that is to die for because of the sauce,” Howlett said.

Romeo’s also offers calzones, strombolis, oven-baked sub sandwiches, wings, salads and side dishes.

The Hubbard location is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (11 p.m. Friday and Saturday). The store has a few tables for dining in, and offers online ordering at RomeosPizza.com.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.