Changes are coming to a longtime pizzeria and American restaurant in Courthouse.
The family that had owned Fire Works Pizza since 2010 is departing, having passed the torch to local restaurateur Fitzgerald Lewis earlier this month. The entrepreneur, whose resume also includes the Clarendon restaurants Green Pig Bistro and Buena Vida, intends to refresh the 15-year-old restaurant with new furnishings and a new name next year.
“They were looking for another buyer. I came into the picture,” Lewis told ARLnow.
He assured that the establishment at 2350 Clarendon Blvd will keep most of its current look despite the planned changes.
“We’re looking to also do an evaluation of what is needed in the space, as far as what people would like to see,” Lewis said. “But on its own, currently, it’s doing pretty well financially, so that seems to indicate that the people are happy with what is being offered.”
Lewis said he plans to keep Fire Works’ current menu and personnel the same.
The Courthouse restaurant’s sale comes two years after the death of Fire Works Pizza founder Kevin Malone. In a social media post, the business’s Leesburg location called Malone its “visionary.”
“[Kevin’s] passion for good food, his commitment to service, and his unwavering love for his community made him a local legend,” Fire Works posted. “He leaves an indelible mark on the industry, one that will be cherished for generations.”
Last December, the Malone family transferred ownership of Fire Works Pizza in Sterling to Mika’s Neapolitan Pizza. Fire Works’ location in Leesburg remains open.
Lewis said he is still considering options for the Courthouse restaurant’s new name, but he hopes it will reflect the eatery’s broader menu. A license application was filed at the location last week under the moniker “Clarendon Pizza,” but Lewis said this is merely a “filler” name.
“It’s not just pizza, so it’s kind of a misnomer,” he said of the restaurant’s current name. “I don’t know why they call it a pizza place. It’s much bigger …. I think we need to have something that actually connotes what the offerings are.”
Lewis hopes to start remodeling in Courthouse by early 2026.
