Steve Salis

Steve Salis was born in 1983 to a working-class family in New Hampshire.^[1] His father ran a gas station and his mother did different small jobs. As a child, he was good at basketball and got a scholarship to the University of New Hampshire. Salis studied economics and business administration in college but dropped out and moved to New York City.^[2]

Salis began his career in the fashion industry in New York City and later he started giving advice to restaurants and bars on how to run their business better.^[2]

In 2012, Steve Salis co-founded &pizza with Michael Lastoria while in his mid-20s. To select the location for their inaugural &pizza outlet, they explored numerous places over three weeks, eventually choosing Washington, D.C.^[3] Salis was the CEO from its inception until 2015.^[4][5] In 2017, &pizza advocated a cause in Congress, a $15 minimum wage by 2023.^[6][7][8] Salis remained the major shareholder in the company until 2019, when he divested his holdings for an undisclosed sum.^[9]

Steve Salis founded Salis Holdings in 2015.^[10] Under Salis Holdings, Steve Salis has acquired and currently owns several notable brands including Ted's Bulletin, Kramers Bookstore,^[11] Federalist Pig, and Honeymoon Chicken,^[12] expanding his business in the hospitality and food industry.^[13][14]

Steve Salis is also the CEO of Sizzle Acquisition Corp, a NASDAQ listed blank-check company with a focus on acquiring businesses in the retail and consumer sectors. In 2021 it has raised $155 million with an initial public offering.

In 2018, Salis and a partner completed the development of several single-family homes in Washington DC's Palisades Neighborhood. Defects found on the properties prompted lawsuits by new owners alleging poor workmanship and claimed $4 million in damages.^[15]

In 2022 Salis announced a nearly billion-dollar lithium battery merger in the public market space through Sizzle Acquisition Corp.^[16][17]