If you have visited Troni Brothers Pizza in Kettering, OH, then you know that with every visit you will enjoy a taste of Italy as well as customer service that has been handed down generations. They have built their businesses on Family, Community and Authentic food.

In early 2020 Labinot (Labi) Troni planned to open a pizza shop in Springboro OH. They decided to add a Point of Sale (POS) system to allow for easier order taking and creating an online ordering system for the pizza shop. Roma’s Pizza worked with Dave Keen the owner of Roxstar Payments. As we all are aware 2020 was a difficult year for many people and for small businesses everywhere. Roma’s had a difficult decision to make with Covid changing everything; do they give up or do they GO FOR IT! And as the strong team they are, they went for it!

During the set up and training period of the POS system, Labi Troni asked Dave to help on the first evening because they were very busy from the minute they opened the doors! Labi knew Dave could operate the POS system better than anyone since he is the one who set up the menu, he would know where every button was. Dave was answering phones, taking orders, checking people out and having fun! When the rush was over Labi asked Dave to return the next night to help. That relationship grew quickly along with mutual respect.

Dave worked side by side with the Roma’s Team and started to bring his son Riley with him to help out. Dave volunteered happily because he enjoyed the time at the restaurant, helping great people do what they love and meeting the customers who make it all possible. As he continued volunteering his time with the Troni’s, he developed deeply rooted relationships of family and friends. And as he helped the Troni’s other restaurants, their friends and family’s restaurants, he began to take the pizza business in as a whole. Dave, along with his wife Gina and son’s Dylan and Riley found a family extension with the Troni family.

Dave and Gina are Kettering natives. They met and graduated from Kettering Schools, so the sense of community is instilled in them. They later married and had two boys. Dylan is the oldest and on the Autism Spectrum. He has overcome many challenges in his life and is now married to Emily. Dylan has worked in the mobile phone industry for over 4 years and has built a reputation for customer service. Riley graduated in 2020 and had similar learning disabilities. He worked for Roma’s Pizza for a several months and then in late 2020 found a permanent home working at Labi’s brother Besnik’s restaurant, Troni’s Italian Restaurant on Dorothy Lane.

The more time Dave spent with Labi and the Troni’s, the more he understood the business and saw an opportunity for an outreach program. Dave spoke with Labi about his idea to create an environment for young adults with intellectual disabilities to be able to come to work and learn as Riley did. He presented the idea with safety first by using the right equipment all while still delivering the quality of food everyone expects.

As the last few years allowed Dave to grow stronger relationships with the Troni family, Labi’s uncle approached Dave to ask if he would consider buying Troni Brothers Pizza as Hisni (Junior) Troni was ready to start slowing down and maybe retire. Dave sat down with Junior and shared the idea he had a few years ago with Labi. Junior loved it! Junior always ran his restaurant as a place for family and community. They have volunteered for various events as well as provided the food for said events. The Troni Family gives back to the community twice a year by providing all First Responders, Military, Medical staff and Teachers with a FREE PIZZA DAY. For Junior to know that Dave would continue to impact the community as the Troni Family has, that made the decision easy for everyone. Dave has initiated and started working with Kettering Schools and their Special Education Department to put his vision in place knowing that the long term goal was to implement an outreach program.

Troni Brothers Pizza may change technology and faces over the years, but the quality in their history and flavors never will. In May 2022 Dave and Gina Keen are taking ownership of Troni Brothers Pizza. They are honored and proud to step into Juniors shoes, sauce drips and all. They plan on remodeling the dining area for a different dining environment and experience, but the recipes will never change. Gina, Dylan and Riley will run the day-to-day operations of the restaurant while Dave continues with the Merchant Services & Point of Sale business, helping out at the restaurant, and starting the Young Adult Outreach program with the community. 

The Keen family  hope you bring your family to meet their family, Dave, Gina, Dylan, Riley and Emily, where Family and Community always come first, and the authentic food will still be here for you.

Reprinted from Troni’s Brother’s Pizza website.

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