A Decade of Pizza Nights

Kevin Harrington has been making pizzas almost his entire life, but Monday he celebrated ten years of doing so in Ankeny.

A ribbon cutting was held Monday at  to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Harrington’s business, a place where employees take pride in the food they serve and “almost everything is homemade.”

"At Leaning Tower, we have a lot of love, care and respect for our customers," Harrington said. “Running this business has been exhilarating.”

Harrington is no stranger to the art of pizza making. A native of the Beaverdale neighborhood in Des Moines, he started working at a local pizza chain in high school.

“I started as a busser and worked my way up to store manager, where I ended up staying and growing the business,” he said. 

After 17 years, he was ready for a new challenge and in 2001 purchased Leaning Tower of Pizza from the family who originally opened a Des Moines location of the restaurant in the mid-1960s.     

At Leaning Tower of Pizza, Harrington said the pizza sauce, salad dressings, sausage and macaroni and cheese are all homemade. Onion rings and pizza dough are made fresh daily, and the eatery only uses cheese made from grade A milk.

“The Potter is our best-seller,” Harrington said, which is a pizza topped with The Tower's Italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, celery, green olives, and green peppers.

The next best-seller is aptly named the Harrington, he said, which is a combination of sausage, pepperoni, cheddar and mozzarella cheese with a zesty sauce.

Other items on the menu are close to Harrington's heart, he said, as several are named after his wife and children.  

Although at first he was apprehensive about taking over a business in Ankeny without being a native to the area, Harrington said he was given a “warm welcome by the entire community.” 

Harrington has not only grown the business since taking over 10 years ago, but some of his employees and customers followed him to Leaning Tower of Pizza.  

Harrington said his customers "love the charm" of his restaurant, and notices almost every night how people end up talking to customers at the table next to them.

“I see a lot of regulars,” he said, “but people come from all over the greater Des Moines area to eat this pizza.”

Visit Leaning Tower of Pizza at 512 S.W. Third St. in Ankeny. Visitors can check out the restaurant’s website or call (515) 964-0401 for more information. 

Leaning Tower of Pizza is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 4:30-10 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.  Dine-in, carryout and catering are available.