California is known to many as the “dream state”. For Luis Marquez and Sandy Perez, the dream of owning their very own pizzeria is now becoming a reality within the Central Valley community.
After 20 years in the IT industry, Marquez was looking for a change and pivoted to restaurant ownership. Recently signing an agreement with Pizza Factory, a West Coast pizza icon, Marquez will soon bring the community-focused brand to Central Valley.
The new restaurant is expected to open in spring of 2022, serving up a variety of high-quality products including Pizza Factory’s fresh, never frozen hand-tossed pizzas that are made to order, along with other diverse menu offerings like pasta, wings, sandwiches, salads, beer, wine and more.
“I’m very excited to bring Pizza Factory to Central Valley and for it to become the new staple hometown pizzeria for the community,” says Marquez. “Once I began searching for my next business venture and turned to restaurants, it was clear Pizza Factory perfectly fit that bill for me. My wife Sandy worked at a Pizza Factory restaurant in high school, so I was already familiar with the brand. Upon further research, I was reminded how dedicated the brand is to community involvement as well as entrepreneurial opportunities and to put it simply, I was sold.”
Marquez has always been a kid at heart and had a love for pizza. He plans to explore additional ownership opportunities with Pizza Factory in the future, to continue expanding the brand’s reputation for family-friendly dining with multiple fast-casual prototypes and a new Express quick-service model.
As Pizza Factory continues to develop into new markets, the brand is providing multi-unit operators flexible new-build or conversion options with delivery / curbside and traditional dine-in prototypes ranging from 1,000 – 4,000 sq. ft. The largest option typically features multiple dining sections, an arcade area for the kids, banquet rooms for parties and social gatherings and big-screen TVs throughout the restaurant.
“Seeing Luis’s longstanding commitment to his local community showcases that he truly has a passion for giving back” says Pizza Factory CEO Mary Jane Riva. “Those values match with our brand’s mission closely, making him an ideal partner. By expanding our brand as well as our community initiatives, we help show others that Pizza Factory truly is their hometown pizzeria. I am excited to watch Luis grow with our brand and kickstart his entrepreneurial journey like he has always dreamed about.”