Aurelio’s Pizza’s Place in Pizza History
April 1, 2025
In 1959, Joe Aurelio Jr. borrowed $2,500 to open Aurelio’s Pizza in Homewood, Illinois, taking over a failing pizzeria with four tables and one oven. But it wasn’t pizza that initially kept him afloat—in Chicago’s south suburbs, customers were more interested in his Italian beef sandwiches.
“He let people sample his pizza and, one slice at a time, the pizza became popular,” recounts his son, Joe Aurelio III, current president and CEO. “His goal was to do $200 in sales in a week.”
By 1961, sales were robust enough to justify moving to a nearby storefront, growing the space to 75 tables, with beer and wine sales and an expanded kitchen. In 1968, the pizzeria doubled, expanding to 150 seats. Finally, in 1976, Joe. Jr. purchased a warehouse two blocks away, sinking a then-whopping $1 million into outfitting the 10,000-square-foot building (now expanded to 13,000, with seating for 650)—and lines still stretched down the block, with one-hour wait times.
“We’re the largest pizzeria in the world,” Joe III says. “And we’ve been recognized as the fifth-oldest franchise in the country, starting in 1974. My dad was a pioneer in the business.”
To celebrate the company’s 65th anniversary last year, Joe III visited all 37 locations in five states to film the people behind the pizza, sharing their stories and community contributions (a defining value of the brand). In a collaboration, Illinois-based Two Brothers Brewing Company crafted the 65th Anniversary Italian Pilsner, to be served at participating Aurelio’s locations. Social media and in-store giveaways featured branded merchandise, sports and concert tickets, and autographed Chicago sports memorabilia.
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