'After 32 years'

In early 2018, regulars on Glover Road in Fort Langley found the windows of Jim's Pizza boarded up. The shop had been there for more than three decades.

Owners Allan and Emma Weslowsky explained what happened to the Langley Advance Times. Their landlord planned to redevelop the property. “Knowing the building was eventually coming down, we spent five years searching Fort Langley for a suitable space but unfortunately nothing was available,” Emma said. “Unfortunately this meant that after 32 years, Jim's Pizza Fort Langley had to leave.”

Same staff, same phone number

They had wanted to stay in Fort Langley, the couple told the paper, but with nothing suitable available there, they secured a unit in Walnut Grove instead: #10 in the 88 Avenue shopping centre that also holds the RBC. “Same great staff, same great pizza, just new location,” the couple told the paper. Even the phone number stayed the same.

They had loved Fort Langley, the paper reported, and some customers had been eating their pizza for 20 years. In Walnut Grove, the couple said, pizzas were flying out the door from the first night, and Emma said Fort Langley customers could still get delivery.

Allan was blunt about how it felt. “We really want to thank our customers and staff for their amazing support. It feels great to be back.”

That was 2018. We haven't confirmed whether Allan and Emma still run the kitchen day to day, though one recent Google reviewer wrote that they “Met the owner who cooks the pizzas. Nice guy.”

The little ball of dough

“Jim's Pizza is an institution in Langley and has been around forever,” one Google reviewer wrote.

The same reviewer described a ritual many local kids will recognize: “There are well practiced traditions for deciding who gets to eat the little ball of dough that is put in the middle; it keeps the lid from touching the pizza and is a scrumptious, chewy morsel.” They also called the price “objectively a bit high for what you get,” while saying the pizza is “definitely a cut above and loaded with toppings.”

Flaming Jim and the Green Goddess

The specialty list starts with what the menu calls “our unique tomato sauce & mozzarella cheese blend.” From there it gets busy. The House Special piles on salami, mushrooms, red onions, pineapple, green peppers, ham, pepperoni, bacon and olives. The Flaming Jim brings banana peppers, capicollo and Cajun chicken. The Green Goddess swaps in a pesto base with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and feta.

There's a build-your-own menu, pasta and ribs, and specials posted on the website.

Fight for the dough ball

Jim's opens at 3pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and closes Mondays. Call the same number Fort Langley has dialled for decades, 604-888-4880, or find the plaza on 88 Avenue.

Who gets the little ball of dough in the middle is between you and your family.

Photos: Jim's Pizza.