Marco's Pizza eyes 40 units near Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh: Marco's Pizza, a 27-year-old, 127-unit chain, is setting its growth sites on Pittsburgh, where company officials believe there is room for about 40 Marco's Pizza stores.

According to Jack Butorac Jr., president of Marco's Franchising, who acquired the franchising rights from Marco's Pizza founder Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco last year, research has pinpointed Pittsburgh as a Marco's growth area.

"With the assistance of MapInfo, a leading global provider of location-intelligence solutions, we have targeted Pittsburgh for Marco's growth. Since we are based in Ohio, a neighboring state, it makes good business sense to concentrate on Pittsburgh for expansion. We have a proven product, system, and concept, and we are in a growth mode."

Butorac said that Marco's representatives would soon contact various area business groups and other leaders to help identify potential franchisees. Butorac announced last year his plan to double the current number of Marco's locations, and since that time has added 42 units, including new locations in Ohio, Michigan, Nevada and Arizona.