Mercer Village Pizza is set to join the lineup of restaurants in Mercer Village, becoming the fourth pizza establishment to occupy the space adjacent to Z Beans Coffee. The new restaurant is scheduled to open on April 10 and will serve Neapolitan pizza along with a range of other options including wings, sandwiches and a few surprises later down the line.
As soon as Joseph Kiefer heard about the closure of Jags Pizza earlier this winter, he knew he wanted to purchase the space and make it his own. Kiefer is a Warner Robins native whose background in management, hospitality and culinary arts helped provide him with a vision for his restaurant.
"I'm trying to build community camaraderie centered around food," said Kiefer. “I was born into customer service and I was born into community involvement. I want my food to speak for itself.”
Mercer Village Pizza will offer a menu crafted entirely from scratch, featuring Neapolitan dough, sauce made from San Marzano tomatoes and an array of fresh toppings, along with a salad bar.
“This is as true to pizza’s origins as you can be. There is no overlap with my menu and anybody else’s,” Kiefer said.
Kiefer plans to offer free delivery to all Mercer students on campus through the restaurant's website with the option to use Bear Bucks for purchases.
"My guests will be called MVPs, most valued patrons," explained Kiefer. "I want to play on that brand as much as possible, centered around a unique menu that hits all different taste buds."
Trey Yaun is co-owner of Mercer Village Pizza and previously worked with Kiefer at Shakey’s Pizza. His extensive experience in the food service industry and real estate sector complements Kiefer's culinary expertise.
“I'm partnering with Joseph because I just feel like he was the perfect fit for what we're trying to do here with his experience not only in pizza with Shakey's, but also in other aspects of the food service industry,” Yuan said.
The pair want to cater to college students in the area and plan to decorate the walls with Mercer athletics jerseys and also involve Mercer art students in creating murals for the walls. They also hope their unique food will attract people from downtown and the greater Macon community.
“My hope is that we can just serve really good food and have a fun, safe atmosphere not just for college kids, but so that everybody's just hanging out and having a good time,” Yuan said.
The restaurant will initially feature beer and wine, but will later expand its beverage selection to include cocktails and a few other menu items that Kiefer said he is “building suspense for” but will reveal later on. The detailed menu with pricing will soon be available on the restaurant’s website.
Eliza Moore ‘24 is an English and Journalism student at Mercer University. She is now in her second year working as The Cluster’s News Editor after a semester abroad. She is currently producing work for Macon Magazine and Georgia Public Broadcasting in addition to her work with The Cluster. She loves breakfasts, the ocean, and all things related to writing.
