Pizza parlor to open in Baby Grand location

A pizza parlor will replace a piano bar on Blue Mound Road this week.

The last notes were played at The Baby Grand Piano Bar on Saturday. Now Jo Jo's Pizza & Pub is moving into the space at 11302 W. Blue Mound Road.

The eatery will serve pizza, sandwiches, beer and cocktails, and should be open by 4 p.m. Friday, manager Tony Fugarino said. Wauwatosa Common Council has approved its liquor and beer licenses, but a health inspection needs to be conducted before opening.

Jo Jo's is owned by Tony's brother, Joseph Fugarino. Wauwatosa residents likely will recognize him as the original owner of Jo Jo's Martini Lounge on Mayfair Road. While he sold off the lounge, he still operates the martini business at Summerfest.

With only a few months until the Big Gig, the brothers will start off their pizzeria business with dine-in and carry-out dinner service. In the future, lunch and delivery service will be added, Tony Fugarino said.

The brothers' involvement in the restaurant business goes back to the former Giuseppe's Pizza at Highway 100 and Blue Mound Road. In fact, it's the family pizza recipe that will be used at Jo Jo's Pizza & Pub.

John Picciurro, owner of The Baby Grand, said the piano bar had built a solid clientele and found talented musicians to perform, but that he needed to help his family members at their other businesses, Pitch's on Humboldt and Miss Katie's Diner in Milwaukee. But he is looking for a place to relocate the musical entertainment that was offered at The Baby Grand.