Employee saves Donald Trump’s pizza box from DHOP visit

Author: AMY GALO Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Donald Trump
Donald Trump poses for a picture at DHOP. CREDIT: WINK News

A pizza box with a half-eaten slice saved from former President Donald Trump’s visit to a pizzeria in downtown Fort Myers.

An employee from Downtown House of Pizza in Fort Myers kept that as a souvenir after the former president’s pitstop on Friday.

While none of the employees knew Trump was going, some figured something was up when they set up some tables in front of the store. But having the former president up didn’t cross anyone’s mind until the motorcade appeared.

If you found a half-eaten slice of pizza or a used pizza box, most people would throw it out. But that’s not the case when Donald Trump is seen holding the exact same one up in a video during his visit to DHOP. It’s the same one Justin Brooks grabbed Friday night after Trump’s visit.

“I was just like, I would think if you want some type of memorabilia like a souvenir or something, I just wanted the box, and I didn’t realize there was this slice on pizza in there,” Brooks said.

WINK News asked Brooks if he had any plans to preserve it.

“I’ve been thinking about it, like put it in epoxy or something,” Brooks said.

Brooks was one of many employees on the job when the former President decided to stop in after speaking to Lee County Republicans at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center.

“They kind of had a setup up front for him, we kind of knew something was going on,” Brooks said.

But Brooks didn’t figure he would see a former President up close.

“The Secret Service came in, and kind of paved the way, and that was that,” Brooks said.

It was already a busy night at the pizzeria, but the crowd grew to new heights when word spread about the former President stopping by. Employees said it was an interesting night and is still generating buzz in the neighborhood.

“I mean, there’s just, of course, like people coming in asking, you know, is this was it here was this the shop,” Brooks said.

WINK News reached out to the owner to ask him about what happened in the hours leading up to Trump’s visit but for security reasons, he couldn’t say much. But the owner did meet with the sheriff’s office earlier that day, giving DHOP time to prepare, make adjustments with staffing, and get orders ready.

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