FOUNTAIN INN, S.C. —
An upstate restaurant has been giving away authentic Italian food for more than a month. They've lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but say they have no choice.
"It's breathlessly delicious," said one customer between bites.
"A lot of pizza crusts are like cardboard, this is not like that," said another.
Named after Paul Cheli's grandmother, Angelina's, a restaurant in Fountain Inn already has a cult following.
Some people are calling their pizza the best pizza in South Carolina. The only issue? They can't sell it.
"The city is trying to hold our business license up because of a debt owed by somebody else," Paul said.
That debt is more than $200 thousand dollars in hospitality tax and fees from operating without a business license owed by Frank's House of Pizza (FHOP), the business in the space before Angelina's.
Reporter: "(Do you have) any involvement with Frank's House of Pizza?"
Paul Cheli: "Nothing."
March 9, Cheli and his wife signed their lease. They bought equipment from Frank's House of Pizza.
March 12, the City of Fountain Inn filed a temporary restraining order which would keep FHOP from selling its equipment, the property owner from leasing to anyone new, and any business from operating out of the space.
March 31, the court approved the motion. Unfortunately, the Cheli's were already locked in.
"We weren't made aware, our landlord didn't know," said Virginia Cheli, Paul's wife and the other owner. "There was no knowledge that a business license would be withheld because of the lawsuit against the previous business."
Without a license, they give out free samples five days a week.
"I keep giving it out and keep it going because I don't want to lose my staff. If I lose my staff, then it's pretty much done," Paul said.
Our crew spoke with several area attorneys Wednesday. They were told this is an unusual situation. One said unless the City of Fountain Inn can prove Angelina's is a shell company for FHOP, this is forcing a locally owned business to stand the heat or get out of the kitchen.
The Cheli's say they have lost at least $200 thousand in just a month and a half.
"It's very hard. Because we're offering a good thing. Even if the city's owed all the money they say they're owed, that's none of my business. But they could be getting revenue from us," said Paul.
Our crew reached out to the City of Fountain Inn. They referred us to the filings involved in the case but did not comment due to pending litigation.
They reached out to the property owner multiple times, but did not hear back.