DAPHNE — Olde Towne Daphne is getting a new pizza establishment with Grizzly Pizza and Wings coming this summer.

It is the second planned location of the pizza joint, with the first being an hour away in Atmore, run by brothers Nick and Al Karvelas, who come from a family of restauranteurs. They learned the ropes while working at their family's business in Georgia, Karvelas Pizza Company, with Nick and Al eventually deciding to start a restaurant of their own, resulting in Grizzly Pizza and Wings opening in Atmore.

Both brothers have roots in Daphne, having lived there for five years and attended the local schools, with Nick saying the plan was always to grow into Baldwin County. The empty building at 1709 Main St. in Olde Towne Daphne has been a point of interest for the brothers for quiet of while, having "circled, starred and highlighted" the place in the event they had the opportunity to move in.

That opportunity came when they connected with the building owner through local realtors. After a long process and the deal almost falling through, they were able to lease the building after the owner made several improvements and renovations.

"I feel like God works in mysterious ways, and that's one of the reasons why, somehow, we ended up in this building that I used to walk past and see and come in when I was a kid," Nick said. "I ate here when I was a kid. It's a full circle moment."

At least two of the previous eateries in that location were Amelia's Italian and another pizza place called Cousin Vinny's.

Grizzly makes hand-tossed pizzas from dough made in-house. All of their food and ingredients are never frozen, including their wings, served traditionally or boneless, as well as hand-breaded chicken tenders. They also make several sauces such as their homemade ranch, which according to Al, attracts customers who come in just to buy it in a 20-ounce cup. Al also mentioned their blue cheese is the "best version of blue cheese you can get."

"It's a requirement; you got to shoot the two-ounce cup of ranch like it's a shot," Nick joked.

The brothers said they have added new items that have been big hits, one of them being "Redneck Pasta," which is French fries topped with chicken tenders, covered with cheese, bacon and ranch and then baked.

Grizzly Pizza and Wings is not the only new dining options coming to 1709 Main St. Connected next door will be Fat Al's Burger Joint, another establishment of the brothers' that will serve smash burgers, loaded fries and milkshakes, among other dishes. Nick said their plan for the building is a two-part project. Grizzly Pizza and Wings is expected to open by the end of July, while Fat Al's Burger Joint will open later this year.

The brothers said none of this would have been possible without their wives, Alexis and Abby, saying they have been an integral part in the overall success of Grizzly and in securing the Daphne location. Nick said his wife, Alexis, is the one behind their videos and social media posts, saying she has a "real talent for that." Al's wife, Abby, has been based in Georgia basically her entire life and has supported him "100% all the way through."