PIZZA GIGI BACK IN BUSINESS AFTER DRUG BUST

Forget the oregano. Jordana Stein will have a pollo pesto pie -- hold
the sun-dried tomatoes, please.

"I want a slice, tonight, for sure," said the Pizza Gigi regular, who
was delighted to learn Thursday her favourite shop is back in business.

The Harbord St. pizzeria closed in mid-February after police raided
the business and said they found $1 million worth of marijuana, half
an ounce of crack cocaine, Oxycocet and OxyContin.

Police allege the owner was selling drugs from the
shop.

"It looked like a little shady business," Stein said, "but they make
good pizza so who cares?"

Stein's assessment echoed the enthusiasm of Pizza Gigi lovers on
Twitter, who fired off short blasts of excitement throughout the day
Thursday. But despite the online fanfare, it's been a slow restart for
the pizzeria.

Owner Salvatore Crimi -- who faces 15 drug-related charges -- took a
few delivery orders Thursday evening with a smile on his face, but the
shop sat mostly empty. Wednesday, the first night back in business,
was a slow one, too. Crimi figures it will take a while to get the
word out.

The 57-year-old wouldn't say much about the drug allegations against
him, but was upset at the suggestion that kids might visit his shop
for something other than pizza.

"We open at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. I don't sell drugs to kids. I
never sell drugs to kids."

When asked about selling to people in general, he added, "I don't sell
drugs at all."

Crimi first started working for Pizza Gigi when he was a teenager and
later took over the shop. He said he has been running it ever since,
working seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.

It's unclear whether the drug allegations will be bad for his business
or not.

Curiosity brought Tija Freimuta and Matthew Barrette, both second-year
University of Toronto students, in for a pie on Thursday. The
first-time customers ordered a party-sized pizza with green peppers
and mushrooms. To go.

"It always looked a little fishy," Freimuta said of the shop. "I heard
the pizza was good. Not the place, but the pizza."

Crimi said regular customers have been supportive throughout the
ordeal and were happy to hear that the shop is back in business. He
said he called many of them personally to let them know.

"A lot of people when I called to tell them just gave me an order on
the phone."

He said one regular customer told him she froze her last two pieces of
Gigi pizza in case the shop never reopened. Others sent cards and
flowers to show their support.

"To the Crimi family -- very best wishes on a new start," one
well-wisher wrote.

"Keep out of jail," another wrote, "Some people care. So
happy!!"