Faces of Main Street: Nichole from Two Cousins Pizza

Walk into Two Cousins Pizza on Main Street and you’ll find a lot more than just pizza. You’ll find a full menu with enough variety to stop in for lunch every day of the week and always have something different.

But you’ll also find heart. You’ll find grit. And you’ll find Nichole, a first-time business owner whose story is woven with resilience, community, and second chances.

Originally from Shiloh, Nichole moved to Mansfield over two decades ago in search of opportunity. She found it downtown. “I was just like every other person,” she said. “Struggling to make things work.” When the chance came to purchase the pizza shop where she’d been working, she took a leap of faith. “If I didn't buy it, I'd probably have to find another job,” she recalled. That leap changed everything.

Nichole’s business philosophy is rooted in lived experience. A single mom who has faced homelessness, food insecurity, and poverty, she now runs Two Cousins not just as a restaurant, but as a beacon of opportunity.

On one level, that opportunity is about bringing more options to her customers. “When I bought the place, it was cheese and pepperoni all day every day,” says Nichole. Since then, she has dramatically expanded the menu, offering everything from salads and fold overs to sandwiches, wings, burgers, specialty pizzas, and more. On another level, that opportunity is about the Mansfield community and her staff, who she treats like family. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t given a second chance,” she said. “That’s what I’m all about—second chances.”

Nichole partners with local programs like Wayfinders, the SAFE Program, and the Catalyst Summer Youth Program to hire people who need more than just a job, they need a shot. From youth aging out of foster care to adults rebuilding after their own tough seasons, she opens doors to those who ready to work hard and build something better for themselves.

“We’re like the Island of Misfit Toys,” she laughs, “but we’re a family.”

Navigating the construction on Main Street has brought its challenges—fewer parking spots, shifting foot traffic, and closures—but Nichole takes it in stride. “It’s been tough,” she admits, “but I believe in what’s coming. I can’t wait to open the door and see flowers, brand new sidewalks, and more people enjoying downtown again.”

In a world that often overlooks the quiet strength of small-town entrepreneurs, Nichole is a reminder of what Main Street really represents: resilience, progress, and the power of community. So next time you’re downtown, stop by Two Cousins, say hello, and grab more than just a slice.