MILWAUKEE — There's good news to share about a 65-year-old Milwaukee pizza shop.
Lisa's Pizza, under the company's new ownership for the past two years, has nearly doubled its sales. Lines for pizza are so long, the restaurant can't serve everyone.
“It’s been so insane that we’ve had to like turn people away," Hannah O'Hara, the co-owner of the pizza shop, said.
O'Hara took over operations with her business partner in February 2024 after the Bongiorno family, who owned and operated the restaurant for 63 years, decided to retire. O'Hara bought the business when she was 27. Now 29, she has seen the restaurant grow tremendously.
“You pour your heart and your soul into something, and you just want it to succeed," she said.
Lisa’s is now open 7 days a week, and they offer lunch every day. The pizzas are still the same great recipes, but they decided to formalize the ingredient list.
“When we bought Lisa's, Gary, the owner, was doing everything like a fistful of this a fistful of that, which is great, but it's really hard for a kitchen staff to come in and learn that.”
It was a big modernization push. Many receipts were written by hand prior to Hannah. She added electronic point of sales, utilizes third-party delivery services, and includes a kids' menu. She nearly tripled the staff size, redecorated, and opened up the bar area.
"Business has been amazing. Its been so good, I can't even verbalize it sometimes," O'Hara said.
The work has been hard. Every day seems to be another early morning and late night. O'Hara doesn't have much separation from her work either since she lives above the restaurant too.
Watch the story to learn more about Lisa's Pizza...
Everything became even more difficult when O'Hara got a life-changing diagnosis. After her vision suddenly became worse, she went to the doctor's office. They told her she had multiple sclerosis. Along with her eyesight changing, there's numbness in her legs, and she has recurring doctor's appointments. But that's not stopping her.
“This should just motivate me to go harder, to work harder, to build something beautiful because like you’re never guaranteed life, right. But like making the most of what you have while you're able-bodied? You should. It’s so important.”
She isn’t scared of multiple sclerosis. Instead, she’s channeling all her energy on the future of Lisa’s Pizza.
“And one day maybe (we add) breakfast. I’m really hoping. I think a breakfast pizza would be amazing," she said.
O'Hara and her partner have carried on the legacy of the restaurant while finding ways to nearly double profits. For O'Hara, it's important that she carries on the tradition of Lisa's, serves great pizza, and continues to be a staple of the East Side neighborhood.
Lisa's Pizza is open Sunday-Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm and Friday-Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm.
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