On Restaurants Pizzerias Ready For College Dough
Pizza shops are warming up their ovens, eagerly awaiting Sept. 22, the start of fall quarter at Ohio State University.
The Columbus Papa John’s franchisee has scored the biggest coup, opening an outlet at Lane Avenue and High Street, just up the street from locally based chain Donatos Pizza’s shop at 2084 N. High St.
Charles Burris, operating partner for Johncol Inc., said his carryout and delivery store at 2108 N. High St. will offer students a number of values and will be one of the first traditional shops in the chain to offer nontraditional 8-inch pizzas at lunchtime and in the evening.
Although Burris touts the chain’s promise of “better ingredients, better pizza” as the cause of his stores’ success, Johncol has made shrewd changes lately, such as moving three of its shops in the city, including the campus location, and “re-imaging” its 19 others in Ohio. It also created “the Ultimate” double-pepperoni pizza that the entire chain now offers.
“We were servicing the campus fine from our Hudson Street location” 10 blocks north, Burris said, “but now, (the new store) is our premier location.”
Food-service strategies consultant Dennis Lombardi understands the move.
“It’s very important to get into the mental phonebook of your customers,” said Lombardi, executive vice president of WD Partners. “Students who want a pizza aren’t going to do any research at 1 o’clock in the morning. You want unaided awareness.”
Which is also why the young Michigan chain Hungry Howie’s Pizza is opening a shop at the south end of campus, at 1428 N. High, in time for Buckeye Frenzy, the annual event welcoming freshmen.
Papa John’s and Hungry Howie’s both will hand out free pizza at the event. Papa John’s is bringing up a 42-foot mobile kitchen from its Kentucky headquarters to ensure that its pizza is fresh.
Hungry Howie’s also is focusing on social media. Franchisee Mike Cuffman noted that the chain is active on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, offering spur-of-the-moment specials.
“All of that is where you’re going to catch students,” Cuffman said.
But don’t think Donatos is resting on its revenue from sales at Ohio Stadium, OSU’s baseball venue Bill Davis Stadium and the OSU Medical Center.
The store on High is now the first Donatos Pizza and Pub, spokesman Tom Santor said. It now sports a full-service bar and serves bar food such as wedge fries and nachos, as well as the hand-tossed pizza unveiled last week.
“All our individual day records are held by the store on campus,” Santor said, and the new concept can only help.
Meanwhile, Fadi Michael has taken over Formaggio Pizza at 13th Avenue and N. High Street, reviving Columbus’ only source for Steubenville-style pizza: hot crust, cold toppings. He also sells regular pizza, and a Buckeye dessert pizza featuring peanut butter and chocolate.
