"Santa Dave changing people's lives" — Netizens react to Dave Portnoy giving $60K to pizza shop on the brink of shutting down on Christmas Eve

American businessman Dave Portnoy recently made waves on social media for financially supporting a small Baltimore pizzeria to spread the holiday cheer. On December 24, 2024, the Barstool Sports founder posted a six-minute video on his X page visiting a local pizza shop called TinyBrickOven in Baltimore, Maryland.

The pizza aficionado was greeted by the upbeat owner, Will Fagg, a Navy veteran, who explained the shop would permanently close on Christmas day due to lackluster sales and the government refusing their liquor license. Dave Portnoy, who tasted their pizza, praised the dish for its New York-esque essence and said:

“This is a thin, New York kind of style. I really like it. There’s no way this place should be going out of business. None.”

Dave Portnoy then asked Fagg, a self-proclaimed Portnoy fan, how much money he would need to keep his business running for a year. At first, Fagg seemed hesitant but later added that $60,000 would be enough to sustain the shop for a year. Portnoy then collected the owner's contact information and promised to send him the money by Christmas.

Several netizens appreciated Dave Portnoy's gesture after he posted the video, which amassed 12.5 million views at the time of this article. One person tweeted:

"Santa Dave changing people's lives . Just like that, we'll keep a Pizza store open in Baltimore."

Many echoed this sentiment, calling his gesture "wholesome."

"Wow..This was one of the most wholesome One Bites I’ve ever scene..the guy has the energy, love of the pizza, upbeat for a place that was going out of business..Once again Maryland/DC politics and regulations almost screwed over a small business but Dave to the rescue," one person tweeted.

"Dave, this video of you made me believe in humanity again. Helping this guy keep his business open and seeing how much work he put in with so much optimism is inspiring. Preventing it from closing is truly generous. You’re a great man. Thank you," another person added.

"You’re the man Dave! Can’t wait till I’m rich and can do cool stuff!" someone else commented.

"Thank @stoolpresidente for doing what you do! Just seeing this guys enthusiasm & joy for life and you doing something to help change lives made my Christmas!" another user wrote.

Others wished Dave Portnoy a Merry Christmas.

"God Bless You @stoolpresidente. You helped a friend of mine during Covid up in Ramsey, NJ a few years ago. Merry Christmas," one user posted.

"If this ain’t the Christmas spirit…. Idk what is. Beautiful moment. Merry Christmas," another netizen added.

"That's really cool man. Props. Merry Christmas," someone else commented.

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Dave Portnoy rated the TinyBrickOven pizza 7.9

Dave Portnoy spread the Christmas cheer by helping a failing pizza business in Baltimore after trying one of their pizzas and giving it a 7.9 rating. Will Fagg, the owner of TinyBrickOven, was seemingly pleased with Portnoy's rating.

In the video, Portnoy also mentioned that the pizzeria helped veterans and ran a GoFundMe Pay-It-Forward program. Following Dave Portnoy's videos, donations for the fundraiser skyrocketed. At the time of this article, the fundraiser had raised $107,105, vastly exceeding the $5K goal.

"This Christmas, let’s bring joy to the table—one pizza at a time. Through our Pay-It-Forward Program, your generosity transforms into a hot, handcrafted pizza for someone in need. Whether it’s a struggling family, a hardworking nurse, or a neighbor facing tough times, your donation delivers more than a meal—it delivers hope, warmth, and the spirit of the season," the GoFundMe's description read.

Since Dave Portnoy uploaded the video on X, TinyBrickOven's business has boomed. In an interview with CBS, Fagg called it a "Christmas miracle," adding that people were queuing outside the pizzeria to try his pies.

According to The New York Post, Fagg opened TinyBrickPizza in 2019. As a Navy veteran, he often donated a portion of his profit to veterans. His pizzeria also raised funds for the Maryland Food Bank.