Months After Surviving Lawsuit, Backyard Pizza Oven in Cleveland Heights Welcomes Friends and Family, With No Fire Trucks Called

Last Saturday afternoon, there were no reported panic attacks or pollution of the olfactory senses. There were no calls to the Cleveland Heights Fire Department, or to any nearby dispatch or patrol car. There were no voyeuristic photos or videos recorded of unaware neighbors. There were no log entries made of when the wood was loaded or first ignited.

No. On Saturday, in Paul Schambs’ and Mary Lynne Newsome’s small backyard on Grandview Ave. in Cleveland Heights, there was only pizza.

The oven, as you will recall, was at the center of a six-year legal scuffle between the couple and their neighbors, Brooks and Milica “Mika” Jones, property managers who live two doors down.

Following an exhaustive attempt to strongarm Schambs’ oven into retirement, Brooks took Schambs and girlfriend Newsome to trial in January, under the claim that the oven, as the lawsuit claimed, caused “significant physical discomfort, mental anguish, and loss of use and enjoyment” of their home at 2299 Grandview.

It went to trial, unbelievably, and in January a jury found that the oven didn’t present a public nuisance after a deliberation that didn’t even make it past lunch break.

“If this pizza oven is a nuisance, even though there’s been no evidence to suggest that its use is in any way unreasonable,” Sam Meadows, Schambs’ and Newsome’s attorney, said in his closing argument, “what could happen next?”

Apparently just a really damn good pie.

By the time Schambs’ oven hit 475 degrees Saturday afternoon, his backyard had become host to the who’s who of the Grandview Pizza Oven Trial, as it’ll probably be known for the foreseeable future. You had attorneys Sam Meadows and Nick Siciliano; documentary film makers Adam Dew and Simon Brubaker, there to take material for their own film on Schambs; neighbors Kari Moore and Larry Hatch; even Schambs’ daughter, Natalie, flew in from Chicago with friends to stop by for a slice. And others.

“I’ve been delivering wood for 28 years, and have about 27 clients at the time being, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Ray Rulio, the self-titled “Firewood Guy,” said while holding dog Chip. “But yes, I’m the one who supplied the wood.”

“The toxic wood,” Schambs quipped nearby, holding a pizza spade. “And I’m the only lawsuit.”

In the first gathering since October, a drought which was “sad” according to Schambs, the chef pulled no punches in the menu. Amongst the pesto pasta salad and the charcuterie from Moore’s Le Cracker, guests of the prevailing party had the option of Schambs’ pepperoni, a simple plain, a clam sauce-topped white pie (Newsome’s invention), and “The Paul,” Schambs’ signature creation with artichokes, red pepper, balsamic glaze, pecorino and romano.

“All of my friends were like, when this all started, ‘You’re handling a pizza case?'” attorney Nick Siciliano said, holding a Manhattan and a slice of the clam. “It was this great irony. I’m Italian. I’m doing a case with pizza. But I had to say—’I’m defending the pizza oven, I’m defending it.'” He took another bite. “Isn’t that fucking crazy?”

About halfway through the event, Schambs, with his pizza-themed shirt and loafers, grabbed Mary Lynne and braced for an impromptu celebration speech. As he did, the oven nearby emitted a light, wispy billow of white smoke eastward; one wondered, as that smoke faded into the wind, whether or not it would eventually end up rapping on the Joneses’ back door.

“I want to thank everybody for being here for our first pizza cookout since October,” Schambs said to the dozen or so standing around.

“It’s been a long time,” Newsome said as her voice cracked, her head resting on Schambs shoulder. Both tear up for a second or two. “It’s because of all of you here today that we are here enjoying each other. We cannot thank you enough.”

“Unreal, man,” Rulio said, as everyone begun to clap.

But Saturday’s cinematic resolution to an absurd trial may not last long. Come July, Newsome and Schambs will be heading to trial again, with the same attorneys on both the defense and prosecution. The California-based owner of the house next door, Stephanie Lilly, claims that she has shared rights to Schambs’ driveway, which apparently is a boon to their short-term rental business. Schambs and Newsome dispute this. (They spent $1,700 on a pin survey trying to prove it.) Regardless, it’s another civil suit. “And guess who recommended their lawyers,” Schambs said. “Who do you think?”

But, at least for this perfect Saturday, with its 86 degree sun, bourbon and wine display, and this minor Grandview reunion, bygones can somewhat be bygones.

“We can enjoy ourselves now,” Newsome said. “I mean, we have PTSD after six years of being videotaped. Of being watched!”

“Exactly,” Kari Moore, the chef who lives a block down, added. “The police coming, the fire department showing up.”

“Here we are,” Newsome said.

Coming soon: Cleveland Scene Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting Cleveland stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

This article appears in Apr 5-19, 2023.