INDIANAPOLIS — A former NFL sky camera operator and engineer put his career on hold to make room for one of his true passions, pizza.
On Friday, Jeffrey Miner held the grand opening for his new restaurant Sam’s Square Pie.
The pizza company started during the pandemic and held several pop ups, but now Miner is running out of his permanent east side shop, located on 10th Street.
“Considering this started in my kitchen on my counter, now here we are in this big kitchen,” said Miner.
One after another, customers poured into Miner’s new shop.
The Indianapolis entrepreneur’s passion for making pizza was born in the pandemic.
“Me and millions and millions of other people out there were all worried and fearing what we would do next and how we would continue to pay our bills, and this was something that’s manifested out of that. It's just grown and grown," said Miner.
Miner’s pizza took fifth place in the 2023 World Pan Division International Pizza Expo.
His pizza is inspired by the food he’s tasted traveling all around the world, but he fell in the love with Detroit Style pie.
“I use the basic toppings, pepperoni and sausage, and I flip them around and do different things with them to make them good," said Miner. "It’s starting to take off, people are going crazy.”
Aside from the delicious pie, Miner’s business is bigger than pizza.
He’s supported by the community, his staff, his friend DJ Rusty, his son and his mom working right by his side.
“It’s not just a Detroit style pie, he’s got a lot of love in it. There’s lots of little things that go into making his pie,” said Miner’s mom, Barbara Lawrence. “I’m so proud of him. I’m so happy, my heart is full, and I think we have a lot of people to be grateful to. So many people have supported him.”
One of those biggest supporters was his late brother, well known as DJ Indiana Jones.
His inspiration is present in every single box of pizza.
“I made my first three pizzas for his birthday party, June 10, 2020, and he put his arm around me and was like, 'Hey, this is great. You've got to do this,'” Miner said. “Now that I’m here, I feel like I’m in the right place.”
Sam’s Square Pie is only open for pre-order carry out service right now through hotplate.com,and orders have already been filled because of all the buzz.
Miner’s goal is to open the shop up for dine-in for the NBA All-Star Weekend.
