If you stumble into a St. Augustine bar that used to specialize in hot dogs and now serves deep dish pizza and run into a person who once sold you a pie from her driveway, you probably found Hillary Lake.
Lake and her husband ran a Chicago bar and grill for several years before they relocated to the Jacksonville area. But she didn't make pizza there. Lake was selling pizzas in neighborhoods like RiverTown, Nocatee and into Jacksonville. She went to farmers markets — and still does — on weekends selling in Fernandina Beach and Orange Park, among other stops.
"The first pop-up I did here, I loved the people," Lake said."Our bar and grill in Chicago was like a neighborhood bar and grill, and we had that community, everyone was your friend. And I felt like that when I came in here." There will be gradual improvements and additions to the menu in the coming months. Lake said she has made a"six-figure" investment in the venture. She's already purchased new ovens will get more as she expands the pizza baking, which will also include thin crust.