Mangiamo Pizza in Hill City learned the meaning on community after a cyberscam [Video]

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) – Owning a small business in a tourist town during the off-season comes with challenges. Fewer people coming to town means less money is being made.

But what happens when a local pizza restaurant owner was scammed out of over $20,000 in January? Well, it was his community that built him back up.

At the end of 2020, Russell Leatherman decided he needed a change of pace with his career, so his family moved to Hill City.

“I had been working for the military and law enforcement for about 33 years and I was looking for something to do, a little more domestic where I can hang my hat in a small town, and kind of eke out a living,” says owner Russell Leatherman.

Eventually, Leatherman landed on the idea of opening a pizza restaurant, like Hill City had never seen before.

“Talking to some of …