News

Dayton developing into pizza battleground

February 12, 2004

DAYTON, Ohio -- It's not a major metro, but it appears pizza companies view Dayton as a major market for business growth.

According to the Dayton Business Journal, Cincinnati-based LaRosa's Pizza recently opened the first of several planned Dayton-area pizzerias, California Pizza Kitchen is eyeing a mall location there, and local legend Cassano's Pizza King wants to open 13 new pizzerias in and around the city over the next three years.

Owners of homegrown pizza operations, however, aren't terribly concerned about competition come lately.

"For years, we've had all sorts of pizza restaurants come in," said Roger Glass, president of seven-store, Dayton-based Marion's Pizza. "(C)ompetition is healthy; it keeps us on our toes."

Flying Pizza co-founder John Graci believes it's a given customers will visit the new entries.

"You have to figure when a business opens, everybody's going to try it," said Graci, whose Dayton company has five stores, one of which is in Columbus, Ohio. "But whether they choose the old or the new (is what matters)."

LaRosa's launch marks the 50-store chain's second crack at the Dayton market. The company closed its lone outlet there in the early 1980s.

Omaha, Neb.-based Godfather's Pizza and Indianapolis-based Noble Roman's also opened and closed stores in the market over the past several years.