New pizza place opening in at former Cici's in Gastonia

Beatriz Guerrero, The Gaston Gazette
·2 min read

A new pizza buffet restaurant will soon open at the site of a similar restaurant that closed last year.

Joe and Carie Scarborough will open Pizza+ Buffet in early December at the site of the former Cici's Pizza that closed in 2020 due to hardships related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cici's Pizza has since filed for bankruptcy.

Joe and Carrie Scarborough will open a pizza buffet called Pizza+ Buffet at the same location as the former Cici's Pizza where they will keep the traditional feel of the Cici's but with new recipes and arcade games.
Joe and Carrie Scarborough will open a pizza buffet called Pizza+ Buffet at the same location as the former Cici's Pizza where they will keep the traditional feel of the Cici's but with new recipes and arcade games.

"This location (3746 E. Franklin Blvd.) has been here for years and it was recently renovated. Upon hearing about its history and popularity in the community, we decided to take on the business, keeping the traditions of a pizza buffet, but with a couple of modifications," said Joe Scarborough of Mount Holly.

"Our customers will continue to enjoy an unlimited amount of pizza and play modern arcade games," he said.

The Scarboroughs do not have an exact opening date, but say it will happen in early December.

"When we moved here, we discovered that people like to keep traditions and we aspire to be a family-owned business that will cater to that," said Carie Scarborough, who moved to Mount Holly from Ohio in 2017.

Pizza+Buffet will also include different kinds of pasta, soups and desserts and bi-weekly pizza specials.

"We will serve traditional pizzas and three unique types that we want to surprise our customers with that will be called the 'Gaston Meateater,' the 'All the Way' and the 'Buffalo Yardbird,'" Carie Scarborough said.

Pizza+ Buffet's cheese pizza that was made by the Scarboroughs with their chef as a taste test. The Scarboroughs later gave neighboring businesses a slice to obtain feedback. Aside from traditional pizza flavors, the Scarboroughs will feature other pizza flavors such as the "Gaston Meateater," the "All the Way" and the Buffalo Yardbird."
Pizza+ Buffet's cheese pizza that was made by the Scarboroughs with their chef as a taste test. The Scarboroughs later gave neighboring businesses a slice to obtain feedback. Aside from traditional pizza flavors, the Scarboroughs will feature other pizza flavors such as the "Gaston Meateater," the "All the Way" and the Buffalo Yardbird."

To help run the restaurant, 15 former employees of Cici's Pizza will return upon opening, however; the Scarboroughs will create more employment opportunities in all positions.

Yet, this isn't the only business they have opened in Gaston County, upon becoming husband and wife in 2017. They also transformed a former Ben & Jerry's located at 3908 E. Franklin Blvd. into Joe and Carie's Creamery featuring ice cream and bakery treats.

"I met Carie in Ohio during a bowling tournament and got her to move here shortly after. We would visit local ice cream shops in Ohio and once the old Ben & Jerry's became available, we decided to take a stab at it," said Joe Scarborough.

With a new restaurant launching soon, they plan to offer those 8 and under a free voucher to get ice cream at Joe and Carie's Creamery at a later time.

Pizza+ Buffet will be open every Monday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., every Friday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m..

Beatriz Guerrero can be reached at 704-869-1828 or on Twitter@BeatrizGue_

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Restaurant in Gastonia will introduce customers to new kinds of pizza