July 2014 – Minneapolis, Minn. – It’s one of the most popular foods in America and there is a restaurant to fit every almost every scenario a customer could have. From hot and ready pizza to home delivery to wine and dine, three companies: Little Caesars, Pizza Studio, and Old World Pizza have found their niche in the pizza industry.
Little Caesars and their famous hot and ready pizzas are popping up all over the Twin Cities, catering to the fast food customer. Krech, O’Brien, Mueller & Associates (KOMA) first began working with two franchisee owners in the Twin Cities northwestern suburbs to make sure that the drawings complied with Minnesota standards. Most of the franchisee locations use the corporate architect, but there have been a few instances in which KOMA works with the owner to create store layout as well as a full set of drawings. “Some of the franchise owners have been doing this so long they are able to work with us to design their space without corporate assistance, these instances provide a unique experience” says Jon LeNoble, KOMA architect.
Pizza Studio, another franchise chain, is based in California. This year they opened their first Minnesota location in Mall of America. They take the pizzeria to the next level with customization and high quality ingredients. They offer individualized pizzas that are created and cooked in front of the customer, allowing them to pick exactly which sauces and toppings they want. California architect Gary Wang & Associates did the original design and KOMA assisted in helping Pizza Studio comply with Minnesota code requirements and also Mall of America tenant criteria.
Offering a much different atmosphere, Old World Pizza located in Inver Grove Heights is a full-service restaurant where customers can relax and enjoy wine and pizza. They do offer delivery but they are best known for offering a lunch buffet and a full dinner menu including beer and wine. The restaurant out-grew its two previous locations and with the help of KOMA designer Laura Bauer created a brand new space. “Architecturally, we did not need to re-vamp the space because it was previously a restaurant, but we completely transformed it and created more of an Italian feel, says Bauer.” Renovations included tearing down a wall to showcase the pizza ovens and creating a private room for parties that can open up and become part of the restaurant during busy hours. “Working on this project, as well as the other pizza restaurants was really enjoyable – the owners were passionate about their business and had great ideas, says Bauer, plus who doesn’t love pizza!”
For more photos of Old World Pizza, click here.