Q&A: Mark & Philly's Pizzeria Keeps it Old School in the Falls

Mark and Phyllis Glenny are keeping it old school at Mark & Philly's Pizzeria.

The two are proud to say they make their pizzas and other dishes the old-fashioned way and have since they opened in 1988. 

Read on to learn a little bit more about the restaurant at 3156 Bailey Road, which has been in the Cuyahoga Falls community now for 25 years.

Cuyahoga Falls Patch: When did Mark & Philly's Pizza open, and how did you find yourself running a place like this?

Phyllis: We opened in July 1988. We've both always been in the restaurant business and we were tired of managing and we wanted to have our own business. We had an offer so we took it.

Cuyahoga Falls Patch: What are some of the most popular items you sell?

Phyllis: We're known best for our Sicilian pie. That's why we've been here this long. It's all homemade ingredients. Everything is homemade here and it's specialty pizza. Everything's inside the pizza.

Cuyahoga Falls Patch: I heard you've celebrated 25 years in the community. Looking back on it, what's been one of your best moments at the business?

Phyllis: [Laughing] I wish I could (answer that)! I guess just that we are happy that the community supported us all these years. I have the best customers and they have supported us all these years and I give credit to them because if you don't have customers, you don't have a business.

So many businesses are going away from customer service, but it's so important. Having a nice solid customer base, that's the secret. You've got to have those repeat customers. That's probably one of the brightest spots is getting to know a lot of people doing this. 

Cuyahoga Falls Patch: What do you think makes Mark & Philly's Pizza different from other pizza places in the Falls?

Phyllis: It's all old fashioned. The oven is old fashioned; the dough is old fashioned. There's nothing modern. There's no conveyor belts. The cheese is grated here. The tomatoes are cut here. Nothing is frozen. It's the old fashioned way. 

Cuyahoga Falls Patch: Anything Patch readers would be surprised to learn about you or the restaurant? Or anything else you'd like to add?

Phyllis: We'd just like to thank everyone for supporting us these 25 years. We appreciate it so much because, like I said, you don't have a business without the customers.