LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — There's a passion for pizza here in Luzerne County. Tommy's Pizza Corner on market street in Kingston prepping orders just ahead of the lunch rush.
"You can go to any corner in Kingston, Luzerne, Edwardsville and find a good slice of pizza or a good slice of Sicilian pizza," said Amy Moses, owner of Tommy's Corner Pizza.
That love for the cheesy slice gave the Luzerne County Visitors Bureau an idea to create a pizza trail.
"It's the most iconic thing when it comes to food. That's what people think of is pizza in Luzerne County, so we definitely wanted to highlight it," said Sarah Harrison, director of sales and marketing with the Luzerne County Visitors Bureau.
All pizza lovers have to do is sign up online for their trail pass, then decide which of the nearly 50 pizzerias across the county to explore.
"When you go to these places, you go in and order something, and you check in on your phone, and you get points. When you have enough points redeemed, you can pick one of the prizes we've designed," said Harrison.
For shops like Tommy's that have been open since the 1980s, there are a lot of regular customers who come through the doors. The owners say they've already seen some new faces thanks to the trail.
"At this point, it is nice because we have so many new people to the area that haven't been here before or may have never heard of us, and it is nice to have that recognition for all of the local businesses," said Moses.
Pizza Heaven in Luzerne Borough is also on the trail. Owner Frances Shell says in a county where there are so many options for pizza, this is a fun way for people to find their new favorite place.
"I think it is a great idea. I've seen Lackawanna County had one, and they had a lot of success with it. They have their own style, and we have ours, so it is a good way to get people to poke around and check out different shops they've never been to," said Frances Shell, owner of Pizza Heaven.
To learn more about the Luzerne County pizza trail, click here.