About Us
Our History
1923
The Original Tavern Opens
Mary and Vincent Grittani open the original Tavern at the corner of 31st Street and Kildare Avenue on the South Side of Chicago.
Early 1940s
Tavern-Style Pizza is Born
After returning from the war in the early 1940s, Nick Perrino and his mother-in-law, Mary, had the brilliant idea to place complimentary crispy thin-crust pizza, cut into squares, at the bar counter as a snack to go with a cold drink. Customers soon started asking for pizza more than drinks! The family’s original recipe from Bari, Italy of hand-pinched crispy crust, zesty sauce and plentiful cheese soon became a hit. Thus, Home Run Inn began selling the pizza, and the famous Tavern-Style recipe took off.
1947
Home Run Inn gets its Name
In 1947, the Tavern was officially named Home Run Inn when a baseball from a local neighborhood game came crashing through the tavern’s front window.
Late 1960s
A Pioneer in Frozen Pizza
In the late 1960s, a long-time Wisconsin customer suggested the idea of frozen pizzas. He often asked for his tavern-style pizza partially baked, explaining that he would put them in his ice box when he got home to bake later. Inspired by this idea, Home Run Inn began par-baking pizzas, freezing them, and delivering them to local corner grocery stores, becoming one of the pioneers of the frozen pizza concept.
1987
Home Run Inn Opens its First USDA Plant
As the popularity of frozen pizza begins to take off, Home Run Inn invests in its first USDA plant right behind the original restaurant.
1987
The Second Pizzeria Opens
Home Run Inn expands into Darien, IL with its second location.
1996
The Second USDA Plant Opens
Home Run Inn expands frozen pizza production by opening a second USDA plant in Woodridge, IL. Spanning 60,000 square feet, this facility operates two production lines to accommodate the rising demand.
2003
Home Run Inn Partners with Power Play Distributors
Home Run Inn partners with Power Play Distributors for direct store delivery throughout the Midwest.
2004-2017
Home Run Inn Opens Six More Restaurants
The Chicagoland area locations include: Hillside, Melrose Park, Bolingbrook, Berwyn, Garfield Ridge, and Beverly.
2018
First Airport Location Opens
Home Run Inn opens its first airport location in Chicago’s Midway Airport.
2018
Joe Perrino, CEO, Passes Away
Born in 1953 and raised in a house attached to the original tavern with his parents, Laura and Nick Perrino, Joe Perrino knew pizza inside and out. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in business from Lewis University, Joe was set on becoming a dentist after working in his family’s pizza tavern his whole life. However, his entrepreneurial spirit took over when his father considered selling the business. Joe continued to work for his family business and became CEO at the age of 37 after losing his father.
He proudly took Home Run Inn frozen pizza from a local favorite to a national brand. His core values of Family, Pride, Grit and Courage remain at the center of the Home Run Inn family, and his legacy will live on for generations to come.
2019
Original Location Re-Opens
After three years of renovations, Home Run Inn re-opens its original 1920s location.
2019
Home Run Inn’s Ninth Pizzeria Opens
Home Run Inn expands to Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
2020
Home Run Inn Partners with the Chicago Cubs
Home Run Inn opens two branded locations in the Wrigley Field ballpark.
2020
Fourth Generation Family Members Continue the Legacy
Together they remain passionate about building their family legacy using the same values their great-grandparents instilled in them while giving back to the communities they serve and beyond.
2022
Nationwide Distribution
Home Run Inn expands distribution, making Chicago tavern-style pizza available throughout the United States.