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<\/p>\nGrimaldi\u2019s coal-fired, brick-oven pizza-making tradition is rooted under the shade of New York City\u2019s Brooklyn Bridge, and developed over a span of 100 years.<\/p>\n
CEO Joseph M. Ciolli grew up in New York with close ties to the Grimaldi family, and eventually took over the brand in the early 2000s after graduating from ASU\u2019s school of business. Since then, the operational headquarters has moved to Scottsdale, while successfully retaining the brand’s Italian spirit and growing to more than 10 states and internationally, with a recent opening in Dubai.<\/p>\n
Spending his college years in the Valley, Ciolli came to love Arizona and has been a Paradise Valley resident for 22 years.<\/p>\n
He said Grimaldi\u2019s New York City roots remain intact as the company looks to the future with a new winter menu and plans to hit 2026 running, providing service on New Year\u2019s Day when many restaurants are closed.<\/p>\n
Learn more here about Ciolli as well as his love for pizza and Paradise Valley. <\/p>\n
What made you decide on ASU for college?
I grew up in New York. There was a program in high school where students visited colleges and cities outside of New York for the summer. Arizona State was one of the stops, and after that, I fell in love with the state. I saw my future there and decided to attend ASU and major in business when I was 18.<\/p>\n
What did you do after graduation?
After I graduated from ASU in 1992, I bought a bar\/restaurant in Tempe called Minder Binders and a bar\/restaurant in Tucson called Bum Steer. After, I moved back to New York.<\/p>\n
Then later you decided to move back to Arizona. Why did you make Paradise Valley your home?
I moved to Paradise Valley from New York City in 2003 with my wife, Ivy. I always wanted to come back here after my time at ASU and expand Grimaldi\u2019s out west. In the same year, we opened Arizona\u2019s first Grimaldi\u2019s at the Old Town Scottsdale location. I love Paradise Valley because it is close to all of Phoenix and Scottsdale\u2019s best restaurants, resorts and entertainment venues, and it\u2019s also a short drive to Sky Harbor Airport. The community here has a rural, small-town feel yet is right in the heart of everything in the Valley, not to mention the beautiful views of Camelback Mountain.<\/p>\n
Why do you think Grimaldi\u2019s has been so successful?
We really pay attention to three things: people, product and service. We keep the tradition of the coal brick-oven pizzas that my dad\u2019s good friend, Patsy Grimaldi, who was like an uncle to me, kept alive. Consistency and community are everything, and that\u2019s how we\u2019ve been able to grow over 45 restaurants nationwide, including six in Arizona.<\/p>\n
And you\u2019ve gone global?
In the past few years, we opened the Grimaldi\u2019s brand to franchising with the goal of expanding across the US and the world. Our first international franchisee, Tablez Food Company, opened its first Grimaldi\u2019s location in Abu Dhabi in 2023, the first in a multi-unit franchising deal.<\/p>\n
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As we move into 2026, what\u2019s in store for Grimaldi\u2019s in the coming year?
Building on the success of the Abu Dhabi location, Tablez opened its second Grimaldi\u2019s in Dubai in early November and looks to add more locations in the United Arab Emirates in the future.<\/p>\n
Senior News Editor Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on X @philiphaldiman. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net\/letters or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.<\/p>\n
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Philip Haldiman
Senior News Editor | Peoria<\/p>\n