Lately it seems hard to get my friends together. Now that we are more than halfway through the semester everyone has big projects and papers due. So my Leadership Journey group from last year finally decided to get together. Matt Haller suggested that we get pizza from Arena’s Pizza. So, Kimberly Bytwerk looked up the phone number on Google and I called and ordered the pizza.
 
When I called a girl picked up the phone, I asked her if they had a 24-inch pizza she said ‘No,’ however the menu online says they do. So I placed the order for an 18-inch pizza, and we had to call back and give them our name, ask how much the pizza would cost, see how long it would be before we came and picked it up because she forgot to tell us. Oh well, we left about 15 minuets after we called.
 
Trying to get an 18-inch pizza that would satisfy everyone is difficult, so we got it with half pepperoni and the other half bacon, ham and pineapple. Surprisingly our total was only $16.19.
 
Melissa Shepard, Matt Haller, Abby Stoner and I jumped in the car and headed in the wrong direction. I did not read the directions right and went on 96 instead of 131. Thankfully Matt has a good sensory compass and got us headed in the right direction. You would think that after living in Grand Rapids my whole life, I would know where I was going, but honestly the only thing I know is that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so on cloudy days (like that day), I’m lost.
 
We ended up in the more run-down, and densely populated side of Grand Rapids, on Leonard Street right by 131. We actually ended up taking 131 to get to the Leonard Street instead of driving through all the lights on Leonard. We searched for a sign that would read Arena’s Pizza, however we never found it. So we went by the address and realized that we passed the pizza shop and turned around in Greenwood cemetery. We ended up at the Leonard Street Pizza, confused at the name and wondered why Google told us that this was Arena’s pizza. So we double checked the address and the phone number with the sign on the building and found we were at the right place. Maybe they just changed names?
 
When we walked in the door we all were surprised at the sound of a cow bell, and I couldn’t help but laugh. This pizza shop was basically just one big room, and they had a cow bell on the door to let them know when people walked in. Random to have something hick in the “ghetto!” We went to the counter and a man with a strong country accent took my money and gave us our pizza, which explains the cowbell. Our 18-inch pizza looked good and smelled good as we drove back to Cornerstone. It made the car smell wonderful and put us in good moods, so we cranked up the music and sang at the top of our lungs. I will admit, I love singing in the car.
 
I went to sink my teeth into a little bit of Leonard Street Heaven and was consumed with the taste of warm, juicy pineapple pizza. Matt, Melissa, Abby and Kim all liked it as well. We actually ate the whole pizza, as well as chips and apple cider that I bought from Meijer.
 
Now I am trying to investigate this mystery. Google calls the Pizza shop (at 1358 Leonard Street) Arena’s Pizza and says they have 24-inch party pizza’s, yet when we went they did not have 24-inch pizzas and it was called Leonard Street Pizza. It also says that an 18-inch pizza with four toppings is 16.25, yet we paid 16.19. This mystery will remain unsolved until you go to the Leonard Street Pizza and ask them yourself. So GetOut! and try this authentic Grand Rapids pizza yourself.

Oberlin’s Top 3
3. Singing in the car on the drive
2. The authentic Pizza
1. The Cow Bell

Quick Facts
LOCATION: 1358 Leonard St NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
PHONE: (616) 808-3383
GET OUT! FACTOR (OUT OF 5): !!!!!

Weekdays: 4:30 until 11

Weekend: 4:30 to 1 am