Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has stepped in to save TinyBrickOven, a veteran-owned pizzeria in Baltimore, from shutting down permanently.

The generous $60,000 gift came during Portnoy’s visit to Maryland for the Army-Navy football game in mid-December, where he stopped by the struggling business to film one of his popular pizza reviews.

TinyBrickOven, located in the Federal Hill neighborhood, is owned by Navy veteran Will Fagg, who had been preparing to close the shop on Christmas Day due to financial difficulties and the inability to secure a liquor license.

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When Portnoy learned of the situation, he decided to intervene.

“We can’t get our liquor license here,” Fagg explained to Portnoy during their encounter, as captured in a video uploaded by Portnoy.

“Our politicians gave this market down here their liquor license, but they won’t give us ours… it’s really disappointing.”

After sampling a slice, Portnoy praised the pizzeria’s thin, New York-style pizza, rating it a solid 7.9 out of 10. “There’s no way this place should be going out of business. None,” Portnoy said. Spotting a sticker on the box that stated, “every purchase supports a veteran,” he felt compelled to help.

Portnoy asked Fagg directly how much money he would need to keep the business open for another year. After some hesitation, Fagg responded, “I think we could probably get our liquor license and continue to stay open if we had $60,000.” Without hesitation, Portnoy replied, “Done,” sealing the deal with a handshake.

The video of the encounter, shared on Portnoy’s X account, quickly went viral, racking up over 12 million views.

Barstool Pizza Review – TinyBrickOven (Baltimore, MD) pic.twitter.com/hDqhclD45D

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 23, 2024

In the days that followed, Fagg reported an unprecedented surge in business.

Speaking to CBS News, he said, “We’ve never had a crowd like this,” describing lines out the door and nonstop phone orders on Christmas Eve.

A fundraiser previously established to support the pizzeria also saw a massive boost, exceeding $50,000 within 24 hours after the video was shared online.

Fagg expressed his gratitude, calling the event a “Christmas miracle.”

Fagg opened TinyBrickOven in 2019 and has a history of using his business to support others in need.

Shortly after launching the pizzeria, he donated 20% of the shop’s weekly earnings to help a disabled Vietnam veteran who had lost his home in a fire.

“I’m a Navy Corpsman, and Navy Corpsmen and Marines have a long history of helping each other,” Fagg told WMAR in 2019. “When I saw this story, it really broke my heart, and I wanted to do something to help.”

According to the pizzeria’s website, Fagg has also used his business to feed the homeless and raise money for the Maryland Food Bank.

Portnoy’s act of generosity has not only helped TinyBrickOven remain open but has also brought national attention to the shop and its mission to serve the community.

Fagg and his team are now looking forward to a brighter future, thanks to what many are calling a true Christmas miracle.