Legacy brand renowned for quality, variety and affordability continues nationwide expansion
V.J. Murray and his partners have operated several successful retail businesses in the Tri-County area for 30 years. So after the three entrepreneurs visited a Pizza Inn buffet restaurant in Knoxville recently, they immediately began exploring the possibility of bringing the concept to Oak Ridge.
V.J. and his brother Weldie, as well as Scott Coker, all agreed that Pizza Inn’s signature appeal to value-conscious customers that demand quality food and variety was a perfect fit for the local area. As V.J. explained, “there was nothing in Oak Ridge like it, so our decision was easy.”
Their new restaurant, which opens for business today at 1501 Oak Ridge Turnpike, isn’t just big news for local pizza lovers. It also marks Pizza Inn’s first new buffet-style restaurant to open in two years, as the brand continues its nationwide expansion.
“We’re proud to be part of the next generation of Pizza Inn buffets,” said Murray. “We loved the wide variety of delicious pizzas and other menu items we discovered in Knoxville, and I have no doubt our friends in Oak Ridge are going to welcome the concept here as well.”
The new restaurant is Pizza Inn’s 11th location in Tennessee and the only pizza eatery in Oak Ridge to feature a pick-up window. The building has a large meeting room that can accommodate groups of up to 60 people and a game room perfect for birthday parties and other special occasions.
Monday’s opening also marks Pizza Inn’s return to Oak Ridge. The chain previously operated in the city in the 1970s. A special grand opening celebration is being planned in the next few weeks.
Headquartered in the Dallas suburb of The Colony, TX, Pizza Inn Holdings, Inc., is an owner, franchisor and supplier of a system of restaurants operating domestically and internationally under the trademarks “Pizza Inn” and “Pie Five Pizza Co.” Pizza Inn is an international pizza chain featuring traditional and specialty pizzas, as well as freshly made pastas, sandwiches, and desserts. Pie Five Pizza Co. is the leading brand in the rapidly growing fast-casual pizza space, offering individual pizzas made to order and cooked in less than five minutes. Founded in 1958, Pizza Inn Holdings owns and franchises approximately 300 restaurants. The Company’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “PZZI.” For more information, please visit www.pizzainn.com.