About Us
Mancino’s Pizza and Grinders is owned by Valentine (Billy) and Linda Gutowski. Many people think that Mancino’s is a franchise, but it is not. We are an independent “Mom and Pop”.
We opened our first location at Chum’s Corners on February 15, 1994. We opened our second location just six months later in August 1994 on US 31 North in Acme. Our third store opened in 1997 on M 22 just inside Leelanau County and our fourth store opened in 1998 in East Bay Township.
We purchased the Omelette Shoppe and Bakery in 1999. Our East Bay Township store was sought after by a local Mexican restaurant and we sold them our building in 2002. In the fall of 2003, we were approached to sell the Omelette Shoppe and felt that it was the right thing to do.
Our lease was up with Acme in March of 2004, so we purchased the property on the corner of Munson Ave. and Fair Street. We first named that location Luigi’s, but later changed the name to Mancino’s.
In 2009, we were asked to run the concession stand at the Center Ice Arena off Hammond Road. The Detroit Red Wings hold their spring training camp there each fall.
Two of our employees have been with us since we opened our doors in 1994. They are James Lake, our general manager, and his wife Lisa. Their son Andrew grew up with us and worked at one of our stores until he left to go to college.
Today we are operating in Traverse City. We are very proud of our products and of our team of employees.