About Us

At Old World Pizzeria

Old World Pizzeria (OWP) was built on fire, grit, and a refusal to compromise. What started as a simple idea—make damn good pizza—grew into a Michigan staple powered by hard work, real ingredients, and a team that treats the craft like a calling.

At the center of that vision are two people whose drive and standards shaped OWP into what it is today

MEET THE OWP TEAM

Eric Shevchenko — Founder, Operator, Relentless Standard-Setter

Eric is the engine behind OWP’s identity, flavor, and culture. From dough formulas and fermentation timelines to the look, voice, and soul of the brand, Eric built OWP from the ground up with one rule:
If it’s not excellent, it doesn’t leave the kitchen.

His background in food, design, and high-intensity operations shows up everywhere— punk-rock creative direction that defines the OWP aesthetic. Eric leads by example: apron on, sleeves rolled up, and never asking someone to do something he won’t do himself.
He’s obsessed with the details because details are what make a great pizza shop unstoppable.

Check him out on Netflix Outlast Season 2

About Chad Koeplinger — OWP Founder & Cultural Backbone

Chad Koeplinger is one of the most respected and influential tattoo artists of his generation—a world-traveling machine of American traditional tattooing whose work, discipline, and no-nonsense attitude shaped not just an art form, but an entire culture.
That same culture—work ethic, raw honesty, craftsmanship, and zero shortcuts—became one of the founding pillars of Old World Pizzeria.

Where most restaurants build a brand, Chad brought a lived lifestyle.

Avree Savage

Manager

Tim Avram

Pizzaiolo

From Punk Rock to Precision Pizza Craft

Most people know Tim Avram from The Mongrels—the voice, the presence, the grit.
But inside Old World Pizzeria, Tim is more than a cultural pillar.
He’s a legitimate technician in the kitchen, a maker who treats pizza with the same intensity and craftsmanship he brings to music.

Tim doesn’t just show up—he shows up dialed in.
He’s one of the rare people who can bring artistic instinct and blue-collar discipline together in a way that makes the product better every time he touches it.

Hardcore Sean

Sean Doherty is built from two worlds that seem far apart but actually share the same truth:
hardcore music and real kitchen work both demand passion, and absolute honesty.
Sean brings both to Old World Pizzeria, making him one of the most valuable, versatile, and culture-driven members of the crew.

He’s the kind of chef who works with the rhythm of a hardcore breakdown—intense, controlled, and with total commitment.

DeShawn Hayes — The Heartbeat of OWP’s Hospitality

Hayes, born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, is the definition of authentic energy, and people-first hospitality.
When customers walk into Old World Pizzeria, they feel him before they feel anything else — the warmth, the charisma, the confidence, the sense that they’re being taken care of.

DeShawn doesn’t just run the counter.
He sets the tone, commands the room, and elevates the entire experience with his presence.