Sommers is a co-owner of Pi Pizzeria, a company that owns District of Pi Pizzeria in the Penn Quarter. March 14th marks Pi Day, which celebrates the mathematical symbol pi. The pizza place is known for its use of the symbol, and the business is offering pi-related specials, including a free large pizza for anyone born on 3/14.
Your pizzerias are obviously "pi" themed. What makes Pi Day so special for you guys?
For starters, it's our birthday. We opened our first pizzeria in St. Louis on 3/14/2008. Pi day brings together math and science fans -- huge amounts in D.C. -- educators who use Pi Day as a mechanism to get students interested and celebrating math, along with anyone who just loves food in the round.
How have your customers reacted to the day?
The interest and excitement of Pi Day at Pi Pizzerias grows dramatically each year. Our customers proactively reach out to us all year round, inquiring about our Pi Day activities, making suggestions, booking large reservations and carry out orders, and generally letting us know how much they love a pizzeria that celebrates the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
Since bringing the business to D.C. from St. Louis, how has it been?
We launched our food truck there in February of 2011, followed by the brick-and-mortar location in August 2011. Since our first day of selling from the truck, we have been amazed, humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support from the D.C., Virginia and Maryland community and tourists who find us ... in Penn Quarter. As you know, the D.C. economy is incredibly strong, and the restaurant industry has benefitted from that immensely. We try to use Pi Day and the week surrounding it to give back to our customers, in gratitude for making us successful.
