OSU teammates, franchisees will debut trend-setting concept in Stillwater
Pizza lovers in Oklahoma are about to experience an entirely new way of enjoying their favorite meal.
And Stillwater residents will be pleased to know they’re first in line, thanks to a pair of former Oklahoma State teammates.
This Friday, March 27, the country’s leading fast-casual pizza chain, Pie Five Pizza, will open for business at 10 a.m. at 611 N. Perkins Road, just north of Hall of Fame Ave. in Stillwater. Pie Five CEO Randy Gier, members of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, representatives of the OSU Football Team and others will help welcome the trend-setting eatery. And local radio station KSPI will be on-site from 3 – 5 p.m. with merchandise and other giveaways.
The grand opening marks the first location in the state to serve up handcrafted, personalized pizzas using only the freshest ingredients, baked to order at one great price. The “five” in Pie Five means it all happens in five minutes or less!
The Stillwater restaurant will also mark Pie Five’s 40th location in 11 states (Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia) plus the District of Columbia, with more than 400 announced company-owned and franchise units under contract in 14 states.
Pie Five announced last year that it had awarded up to 10 franchise units to former NFL player Billy Bajema and his brother-in-law, Tyce Jones. They partnered with Bajema’s OSU teammate Josh Fields and Brandon Birdwell – who also own three Firehouse Subs franchises in the area – to form Pistol Pie LLC. The group’s multi-unit agreement covers the entire state of Oklahoma.
Bajema recently retired from the NFL after playing nine seasons at tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams and Baltimore Ravens. The 49ers drafted him in 2005 from OSU. He has spent his offseasons preparing for life after football, gaining experience in the real estate industry and taking business management classes.
“Ever since we signed our franchise agreement, we’ve been hard at work identifying the best possible locations and hiring outstanding employees to bring Pie Five to the great people of Oklahoma,” said Bajema. “Our entire team is so excited that our first location will be in Stillwater, and Friday can’t get here soon enough. We can’t wait to introduce the locals to the entire Pie Five experience.”
Here’s how it works. As pizza lovers step to the counter, Pie Five’s Pie-artisans help them choose their favorite crust – artisan thin, classic pan, whole grain Neapolitan or gluten-free thin. Then they can choose from seven sauces, four cheeses, eight meats and 16 veggies and, best of all, there’s no penalty for piling on…there’s more than a million combinations of handcrafted personal pizzas to choose from.
Pie Five bakes each personal pizza in a specially designed oven. By the time the guest arrives at the register, their hot, bubbly, pizza perfection is ready. And whether they select from one of Pie Five’s specialty recipes or create their own, it’s all the same great price: A handcrafted, artisan pizza that would cost $13-15 in an upscale restaurant for under $8.
Pie Fivers can also add a fresh, hand-made salad, tossed right in front of them while their pizza bakes. Dessert offerings include Turtle brownies and chocolate chip pizza cookies, as well as seasonal confections, all baked fresh daily.
Proceeds raised from private training events held at the restaurant this week will be donated to the Stillwater Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In addition, the restaurant will be sponsoring OSU’s spring football game on April 18.
“Josh and I were both very active in the FCA while we were at OSU, so we know firsthand all the good they bring to the campus and to the entire community,” said Bajema. “We’re happy to use our pre-opening events as a platform to raise funds and awareness for the organization.”
Pie Five Pizza has been named among Fast Casual’s 2014 Top 15 “Movers & Shakers,” a 2012 Hot Concepts winner by Nation’s Restaurant News and one of “10 Hot New Restaurant Chains from Established Brands” by Forbes.com.
The Stillwater restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. A complete menu and more information are available at piefivepizza.com.
For Pie Five Pizza franchise information, please visit:
http://www.piefivefranchising.com
Pie Five is a subsidiary of RAVE Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAVE), based in the Dallas suburb of The Colony, Texas. RAVE owns, franchises and supplies nearly 300 Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. Pie Five Pizza Co. is the leading brand in the rapidly growing fast-casual pizza space, offering individual handcrafted pizzas with fresh ingredients made to order in less than five minutes. For more information, please visit PieFivePizza.com.
