As Piemonte Pizza fights against eviction, neighbors rally behind them

"We love this community and just want to keep our business here, where we can continue to contribute to the neighborhood. We have a lease and expect to have another five years here."

Full disclosure:

After receiving a press release about the eviction of Piemonte Pizza, I went to the shop to take pictures, introduce myself, and talk to the owner, Nusret Oner. Before I knew it, I was treated to a free slice of pizza, a drink, and some oven-fresh seasoned flatbread. So if you want to question my journalistic integrity, this is the story to do it on. The food was excellent, and the family that runs the shop is simply amazing.

Oner told me that his lease with the landlord is for another five years, but the landlord is moving to evict him now. He also pointed to the numerous awards given to his business and his support for neighborhood institutions like the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School and the Mt. Hope Learning Center.

The press release:

Piemonte Pizza is a locally-owned restaurant in the Mount Hope neighborhood of Providence that is facing eviction but has received a wave of support from community members who are calling for Piemonte's landlord to end his eviction efforts. After learning of the eviction, neighbors started a Change.org petition in support of the Oner family, Kurdish immigrants who opened Piemonte in 2014. This week, the petition passed 1,000 signatures and is currently at nearly 1,200.

“Piemonte Pizza is more than just a pizza place,” reads the petition. “It's a cornerstone of the Mount Hope neighborhood, and the Oner family that runs Piemonte has always been there to support community groups, churches, schools, and neighbors. But now Piemonte is being threatened with eviction because the landlord, Andy Marr, thinks he can make more money now that the neighborhood is more gentrified. Let's show Andy Marr that we value our local immigrant family-run community businesses and won't let them be pushed out without a fight.”

The Oners have chosen to fight the eviction, and their first court hearing is March 22. “We have paid our rent on time every single month, and we've made thousands and thousands of dollars in improvements on the property,” said Nusret Oner. “We love this community and just want to keep our business here, where we can continue to contribute to the neighborhood. We have a lease and expect to have another five years here. We're so grateful to all of our neighbors who are joining together to support our effort.”

The Oners have a lot of support in the neighborhood:

“It's disgusting that profiteering landlords all across our city are undermining the strength of our neighborhoods by trying to put local family-run institutions out of business,” said former state representative Aaron Regunberg. “But this petition shows that our community is united behind Piemonte, and we're not going anywhere.”

“Piemonte has become an integral part of the Mount Hope neighborhood, offering not just delicious food but also fostering a sense of cultural diversity with its distinctive Kurdish cuisine,” said Providence City Councilmember Sue AnderBois (Ward 3). “The eviction not only disrupts the livelihoods of the hardworking individuals behind a small local business but also deprives our residents of a cherished gathering spot. I have heard from so many of our neighbors who are so disappointed and confused to learn about the eviction of this important neighborhood pillar.”

“Piemonte is not just a pizza place; it's a bedrock of this neighborhood,” said Mount Hope resident Dan Denvir, a co-founder of Reclaim RI. “The Oners are our neighbors. We have their back and I hope the landlord knows there will be hell to pay if they move forward with this eviction.”

Comments left on the “Save Piemonte Pizza from Eviction” petition also showcase the community's support for the local business, with statements such as:

• “100% support behind one of the best pizzas in the city, and so, so tired of seeing awesome businesses forced out.”

• “Piemonte is a pillar of excellence in the community, and they highlight what is best about Providence (and in the world, truly). Both in the quality of the outstanding food they make and in the integrity they exhibit as wonderful people, we need more of what they deliver.”

• “Not only is Piemonte a great place to grab food in the neighborhood but they support local organizations such as the Mount Hope Learning Center. Not every space in the city needs a new bougie spot to eat, some continuity and character go a long way towards a place being livable. Piemonte has been here for a good long while and built a successful small business that gives back.”

• “They make me feel [at] home in our neighborhood. Wonderful food, wonderful people.”

• “They are an amazing family-owned business with a fabulous product and landlords who just want to charge higher rent are part of the problem.”

One way to help? Grab lunch or dinner there. Sign the petition here.

One specialty pizza Piemonte is known for is Kurdish Meat Pie, best served with freshly squeezed lemon. In my opinion, it’s places like this that make Rhode Island the Pizza capital of the world.