It All Started with a Simple Slice
Sal Lupoli was born in East Boston in a 900 square foot apartment, where his parents slept on the couch so that he and his brothers could have a bedroom. He is a firm believer that “who you are is where you came from."
Sal's grandfather came here from Italy with an entrepreneurial spirit, and a dream of importing and selling olive oil. To do that, he needed capital, so he opened a small pizzeria in Revere Beach in 1940, and was able to start his olive oil business the next year.​
Sal’s father was also an entrepreneur, owning his own restaurant, which helped cement the idea that Sal was meant to go into business for himself. When Sal came to his father in college telling him "I want to own real estate" his father told him the banks would not look favorably on him unless he had an operating business. After many months of research, Sal settled on the pizza business as his launching pad to creating enough capital to buy real estate.​
​Sal Lupoli opened the first Sal’s Pizza with his brother Nick in Salem, NH in 1990, and that’s where his springboard to success began. Sal’s Pizza has since expanded to more than 120 locations, with an 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility, a CPG brand and nationwide school pizza program.
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Sal Lupoli has been a social impact entrepreneur, creating positive change in and around the Merrimack Valley for more than 30 years. He is a fearless and inspiring leader, not afraid to take risks and a huge supporter of the communities he does business in.
Salvatore and Mary Lupoli
Revere Beach, 1940
The Lupoli Family's First Olive Oil Company, 1945
Salvatore and Nick Lupoli
Salem, NH 1990
Riverwalk Innovation District in Lawrence, MA involved a 20-year master plan to develop 50 acres of underutilized land into 4 million SF of mixed use space.
Thorndike Exchange in Lowell, MA is a historic renovation blending history and modern luxury. This mixed use community offers 65 luxury loft apartments and five floors of commercial space.
The Heights in Haverhill, MA is a mixed use community with 42 luxury apartments, Northern Essex Community College's Lupoli Family Culinary Institute and BOSA Italian Restaurant.
The Riverwalk Lofts project in Lawrence, MA consisted of 596 luxury loft apartments, many with second floor lofts.
Making a Move to Real Estate
Shortly after opening the doors to Sal’s Pizza, the landlord increased the rent, which inspired Sal to look at real estate as a long-term investment. He created a new goal to own property, not rent it.
While looking for real estate in the Merrimack Valley in 2003, Sal Lupoli found what is now the iconic “Riverwalk”. At the time, Riverwalk was a massive, 50-acre underutilized mill complex in Lawrence, the poorest city in Massachusetts. When Sal first looked at the giant mills, he didn’t see abandoned buildings, he saw jobs and he saw the potential for growth and economic development in the city of Lawrence.
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The Riverwalk Innovation District is now home to more than 200 businesses, 5,000 employees and 1,000 residents. It is a thriving live, work, play community, adjacent to 495 and only steps to the MBTA commuter rail. Sal’s 20-year master plan for the Riverwalk is constantly growing and evolving, as he continues to innovate and bring economic vitality to the community of Lawrence, Massachusetts.​
Sal has also developed luxury apartment communities in three Gateway Cities - Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill. Focusing on transit-oriented locations and offering abundant amenities, Sal’s residential properties continue to maintain a 99% occupancy rate.
Thorndike Exchange, developed on the site of the Hood Mill in Lowell, MA, offers a mixed use community with 65 market rate loft apartments and 5 floors of commercial space. The Heights at Haverhill, a 10-story glass and steel ground-up project in Downtown Haverhill, MA offers 42 market rate apartments and 4 floors of commercial space.
The Riverwalk Lofts in Lawrence, MA, was Sal’s biggest residential project yet. This community was developed in three phases and eventually grew to 596 units with 10,000 square feet of amenity space.
In 2022, Sal opened the The Riverwalk Pavilion, a brand new building and 1,300 car parking garage with a regulation size turf field on the roof. The Pavilion Field has become one of the crown jewels of the Lawrence community.
On the horizon are mixed use projects in Littleton, MA, Haverhill, MA, Lowell, MA and Hampton Beach, NH.
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Sal Lupoli takes giving back very seriously. He is driven by a desire to enrich the lives of others through his commitment as a social impact entrepreneur and his philanthropic undertakings that promote the people and places that surround him. With motivation founded on deep family values, Sal has substantially strengthened, stimulated and uniquely contributed to the region through his extensive philanthropic efforts.
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The Riverwalk Pavilion was completed in 2022. This project features retail, restaurant, office, a 1,300 car parking garage and a regulation turf field on the roof.