Village Idiot Pizza plans to close one of its Midlands locations. Here’s what we know
Village Idiot Pizza, long a well-known name in the Midlands dining scene, says it will close one of its three current locations by the end of the month.
Co-owner Kelly Glynn told The State Monday morning that the Village Idiot at 4517 Forest Drive in Forest Acres will close, likely by the end of December. The location, which is in the Forest Village shopping center, has been open since 2009.
“We have decided not to renew our lease,” Glynn said. “So we will be closing at the end of December, right before the Christmas holiday. ... It’s very bittersweet.”
Kelly Glynn said she and husband Brian Glynn, who have long owned Village Idiot, recently were notified the property where the Forest Drive restaurant is located was being sold. Considering that sale, and the fact that Village Idiot has recently launched a franchising model for new locations, Kelly said it was simply time for Village Idiot to exit the current space on Forest Drive.
However, she said Village Idiot is open to establishing another storefront in Forest Acres at a different location.
“We are hoping to find a better space in Forest Acres that is better suited to our franchise model, which is more like the Olympia location,” Kelly Glynn said, referring to the company’s store at 612 Whaley St., near the Olympia Mills apartments. “We’ve been there (in Forest Acres) and done so much in that community. It’s definitely a neighborhood we would like to keep a Village Idiot in. ... We love the community, so we hope something will emerge soon.”
The original Village Idiot is at 2009 Devine St. in Five Points, where it was founded in 1990. The Glynns bought the business in 2003, and the brand has been a mainstay on the Midlands food landscape. In 2022, readers of The State voted it the area’s favorite pizza joint in a widely read poll. Village Idiot has long been known for its New York-style pizza, which comes in whole pies or by the slice.
In May, Village Idiot announced it planned to expand, offering franchise opportunities for the first time. Kelly Glynn said the expansion plans are still proceeding, and they have been in talks with potential franchisees.
Glynn said there are about 15 employees at the Forest Acres Village Idiot. She said those employees would be offered the opportunity to transfer to one of the other two locations.
