Two local entrepreneurs presented their business proposal for HotBox Pies, a gluten-free pizza restaurant, during a recent city presentation in Bloomington.

Seth Wal and Moses Wol outlined their plan to establish a certified gluten-free retail location that would serve pizzas, sandwiches and other baked goods. The business concept emerged after Wal was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2017 while working at a local pizzeria, creating what he described as a "painfully ironic" situation of being surrounded by food he could not eat.

The entrepreneurs spent two years developing their gluten-free pizza dough recipe with the goal of creating a product that "tastes like the real deal," according to their presentation. Their business model would include both dine-in service and retail distribution of frozen doughs and take-and-bake pizzas to other outlets.

Wal and Wol emphasized their commitment to improving the reputation of gluten-free food, stating they want to "raise the standards of what gluten-free can be." The business began as informal pizza parties in a backyard before developing into a formal business proposal.

According to the presentation, a vote on their grant application is scheduled for the week of August 6th. The entrepreneurs have established a social media presence on Instagram under the handle "hotbox pies" to promote their venture.