Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria is expanding into Florida.
Fairport native Ferdinand Formoso will open the first out-of-state Salvatore’s in Jacksonville. The target date for opening is July 5, the 45th anniversary of the first Salvatore’s on East Main Street in Rochester.
“I am honored beyond words that Sam and his team have accepted me into the Salvatore’s family,” said Formoso, a doctor of osteopathic medicine with two medical offices in Jacksonville. “I am excited to bring their amazing food to Florida and show the folks here what a real pizza is supposed to taste like.”
Salvatore’s has 31 full-service locations in the Rochester area, plus two outlets (at Innovative Field and the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport). There also are two Donuts Delite stores, a subsidiary of Salvatore’s.
“We’ve already had Dr. Formoso and his operations manager (Ryan Mickens) here in Rochester training at some of our busier locations,” company president Silvio Fantauzzo said. “We believe with his work ethic and business knowledge that he will be a great asset to our team and an amazing step towards Salvatore’s future expansion.”
The restaurant industry runs deep in the Formoso family. His aunt and uncle, Joann and Chuck Formoso, operate Ristorante Lucano on East Avenue in Rochester and are good friends with Salvatore’s founder Sam Fantauzzo.
“We have met with several candidates over the years to handle our Florida master franchises,” said Sam Fantauzzo, who was a member of the Rochester Business Journal’s 2022 class of ICON Honors winners. “Dr. Formoso is a perfectionist and puts his heart and soul in anything he does. I know our brand is in good hands with my favorite doctor and his team.”
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