Rush Hour at PJ's Pizza

Pizza is important to countless college students, and James Tsagaroulis is no exception. But for the physical education and exercise science major, pizza means more than food. The 23-year-old Tsagaroulis is part owner and chef at PJ's Pizza in Peacedale, where I found him at 5 p.m.

The aroma of pepperoni and hot pizza filled the air as I walked inside the restaurant.

Tsagaroulis had changed from his school clothes to the white button-down shirt and navy blue shorts worn by all the chefs.

Over the next hour, the phone rang more than 30 times as I watched him run back and forth from the phone, where he took orders, to the grill, to the oven and then back again.

Slips hung down from the board, forming a row of orders that needed to be filled within 15 minutes of the phone call.

Three employees took their positions and worked together, almost resembling an assembly line, as the orders kept pouring in. Two delivery guys were back inside the restaurant within five minutes of their delivery.

In one hour, 25 deliveries were made and five customers picked up their meals.

"This is the busiest time of the night," Tsagaroulis said. "Owning a restaurant is really hard and stressful, especially
at 5 p.m."

PJ's Pizza is located at 1202 Kingstown Road.