Happy Twentieth Anniversary, Justin Wehrell

Justin Wehrell knows pizza. That’s why we hired him—twenty years ago! In 1999, Justin was working at another Seattle pizzeria when a former manager of his who’d come to work for Pagliacci convinced Justin to join his team at the Pagliacci on 145th Street. 

Starting as a cook, Justin worked his way up. For years now, he’s been the General Manager of our 85th Street store. His experience managing people, busy rushes, and the full pizza ovens is renowned. “I like chaos,” Justin says, “just not in my store. It’s so rewarding getting through a busy rush and knowing that we succeeded.”

The 85th Street store is one of Pagliacci’s busiest locations, and Justin’s talent and experience—along with a stellar team of managers and cooks—help him embrace the rush of a busy night. “Everyone is well-trained, and we trust each other to work together so that everything goes smoothly.” 

Justin takes pride in making fabulous pizza. And that's one reason Justin loves working at Pagliacci. But not the only one. He cites Pagliacci’s efforts to engage with its community as a big reason he enjoys being a leader in the company. “Pagliacci works hard to source locally from exceptional local businesses like Oxbow Farms, Salumi, Foraged and Found, and others,” says Justin. “Back when few were composting, Pagliacci was one of the first companies to start.” 

Leaders like Justin are the heart of Pagliacci. Whether he’s wielding the peel at the pizza ovens, or interviewing and hiring new talent, Justin trusts in his experience and the team supporting him. From all of us at Pagliacci: Thank you, Justin.