Ichicoro’s now-closed restaurant has been sitting vacant for the last several months, but new signs in its windows hint that a new concept will soon take over the intimate space.
New signage indicates that NYC-based chain Champion Pizza will be opening at 5229 N Florida Ave. in Seminole Heights.
Although Champion Pizza’s posters are plastered in the building’s windows—alongside an autobiography of its founder Hakki Akdeniz—Tampa’s upcoming location is not yet listed as “coming soon” on the company’s website, but Akdeniz tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay this his first Florida outpost will open by the end of the month.
Alongside posters depicting slices of Champion Pizza are advertisements for fried chicken, which Akdeniz confirmed will be additional aspect of the new Seminole Heights concept.
According to Forbes, Champion Pizza has plans to open an another pizzeria in Miami, in addition to Tampa’s upcoming location. Akdeniz tells the magazine that he’s interested in franchising new locations of his pizza brand all throughout the country, and recently debuted the chain’s first shop outside of New York in College Station, Texas.
Champion Pizza is known for offering over 30 different flavors of thin crust ‘za, although no two locations boast the same exact menu. Popular options include Buffalo chicken, margherita, lasagna, meat lover’s, pesto chicken and supreme, alongside other flavors that are particular to certain locations.
In addition to a spread of New York-style pies and slices, Tampa's Champion Pizza will also offer a variety of Korean fried chicken.
Akdeniz opened the first Champion Pizza in NYC’s Lower East Side in 2009, after many years of working his way up from dishwasher to pizza master, learning the trade and saving his paychecks, according to the company website.
After immigrating from Turkey as a young adult, Akdeniz struggled to find a job in NYC and remained homeless for several months before landing a job at a Hoboken pizza shop. Also known for his philanthropic work, Akdeniz continues to spread his inspiring “rags to riches” story and often donates food, clothes and money to NYC’s homeless population.
After Tampa's Champion Pizza opens in a few weeks, Akdeniz says the restaurant will operate with limited hours during its soft opening phase. He tells CL that a second local location of Champion Pizza will open in North Tampa (in area surrounding USF) sometime this fall.
For the latest information on Champion Pizza and its first Florida location, head to its Instagram at @championpizza.
UPDATED 2:30 p.m. 9/13/23: Added information from Champion Pizza owner Hakki Akdeniz.
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NYC-based chain Champion Pizza to open out of Ichicoro’s former Seminole Heights space
It will be the franchise’s first location in the Sunshine State.
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