ORANGE — Pizza Factory is changing ownership after 25 years in business.

Paul Whitney purchased the eatery from Athanasios “Arthur” Vlahakis and his wife, Voulie, on Wednesday and opened for customers on Thursday afternoon.

“I’m stoked,” Whitney said at 11 West Main St. on Tuesday afternoon as he worked to get the restaurant ready for its latest chapter. “This is the only pizzeria in the town of Orange. That’s a big deal.”

Whitney is coming from Athol House of Pizza, where he was manager for two years, though he has been in the pizza business for 22 years, learning everything he knows from owners Spiro and Helen Reppas as a customer-turned-employee at Village Grill & Pizzeria in Athol.

“I owe everything to them,” Whitney said.

His new business venture started about four weeks ago when Vlahakis suggested that Whitney buy the restaurant from him.Vlahakis had worked at a different pizzeria before branching out on his own 25 years ago, turning what was once a credit union into a restaurant. The empty vault still sits in the back.

The 64-year-old said he had a wonderful experience running Pizza Factory and it is simply time for him to retire.

“I think he’s going to do great,” Vlahakis said of Whitney. “He’s a local guy, he knows everybody, he knows the business, so I think he’s going to do great.”

The Orange Selectboard approved Whitney’s common victualler license for Pizza Factory on Jan. 25, and the new owner said he won’t change much about the restaurant, though calzones will come in two sizes — small and large — rather than one.

Whitney, 40, said he will have a computerized register and will accept various forms of payment, including Apple Pay. He also plans to offer gluten-free options and Caesar salads, and will expand the eatery’s delivery radius from 2 miles to 6 miles. This means he will deliver into Erving, Warwick and Wendell.

The budding entrepreneur is bringing with him from Athol House of Pizza his sister, Beth, as well as Nora Batutis, who worked at the Athol business for at least 35 years. He will also have the help of his wife, Amanda, and children, Jake, Julia and Jenna. Twenty-year-old Jake mentioned word is spreading quickly around town, as his friend immediately called him after hearing the news.

‘“This is the greatest news since Neil Armstrong landed on the moon,’” he quoted his friend as saying. “And I thought that was kind of funny. He was pretty excited.”

Whitney mentioned Pizza Factory will now be open seven days a week starting at noon, and he plans to team up with Grave Robbers Restoration, a vehicle restoration business owned by friend Norman Sargent across the street, to offer some promotions for free oil changes.

Pizza Factory can be reached at 978-544-5818.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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