Rock City pizza
Rock City Pizza is a Black-owned business founded by Joe Charles, operating two locations in Boston's Allston and Randolph neighborhoods. While they serve a full menu of pizzas, wings, sandwiches, and salads, what distinguishes Rock City is Joe's commitment to using his business as a platform for community investment.
This case study explores how value-aligned social media management can support a community-focused business…” particularly when authenticity and trust shape the partnership.. Our goal was to translate Joe’s community impact into a digital presence that supported long-term, sustainable growth.
Social media account management
Community engagement
Graphic design
Reporting, data analysis & auditing
Consulting
Services Provided
More Than A Slice
In 2018, Rock City Pizza came to us through a referral. They had recently opened their doors in Allston, positioned near Boston's college corridor and major hospitals. On paper, it was a pizza shop serving a steady stream of hungry students, but it was much more than that.
Joe is a pillar of his community. When he's not running Rock City, he's coaching basketball for inner-city youth and leading the robotics team in a local school. A significant portion of his profits flow directly back into these initiatives, making every slice sold an investment in Boston's youth.
Our role was to help bring Joe’s story and values into the digital space, so both current and future customers could better understand what Rock City stands for. Unlike word of mouth or passing headlines, social media creates a place for that story to live over time. By taking the time to understand Joe’s values, commitments, and voice, we developed an approach centered on community, purpose, and longevity.
Navigating New Challenges
Our partnership with Rock City Pizza took place during one of the most challenging periods for small businesses. Together, we navigated the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when restaurants were forced to adapt quickly, rethink operations, and find new ways to stay connected to their customers.
At the same time, the country was experiencing widespread unrest in response to ongoing violence against the Black community. Many businesses struggled to determine how to show support and stand with their communities online, not just what to say, but how to say it, and perhaps more importantly, what not to say.
Joe trusted us to help navigate this sensitive moment on his behalf. That level of trust doesn’t happen quickly. It’s built through care, listening, and shared values. It's earned through genuine understanding. We had taken the time to understand Joe, both as a community-driven business owner and as a Black entrepreneur. We approached the responsibility with intentionality and restraint, understanding that what we chose not to post was just as important as what we did. The message needed to reflect his values authentically, meet the needs of the moment, and honor the weight of what was being said.
Scoring On and Off the Court
We supported Joe throughout this campaign, capturing content and managing the increased social media engagement. As visibility increased, we stayed focused on supporting the business in practical, sustainable ways.
We’re grateful for the time we spent working together and continue cheering them on from the sidelines. Collaborating with a company so deeply committed to its community was an honor and a meaningful reflection of the values we strive to uphold in our own work.
In 2023, Joe's work earned national and local recognition. Rock City Pizza was named one of ESPN's Champion Black Businesses, which led to a meeting with Mark Cuban of Shark Tank. That same year, Joe was awarded a $25,000 Power Forward Grant presented by the Boston Celtics. The team personally visited Rock City Pizza to present the check to Joe.
