Sal Rando regretted ever selling his quaint pizza shop at New Hope Square shopping center in north Gastonia in 2015. But after spending the last five years working a number of other jobs, Rando's made his long-awaited return to the shop, where he'll sling pizza dough once again.

Rando's been a pizza and food fanatic as long as he can remember. At age 15, he began working at a pizza restaurant in Long Island, New York. "I did that well into my 20s. I've just had such a passion for food my whole life. Particularly Italian food," he said.