Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza is opening its newest location in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The new restaurant will be at 1525 West Ridgeway Avenue and is slated to open on October 18. There will be a grand opening event on October 18 from 12 pm – 7 p.m. with free pizza being provided to customers all day. This will be the brand’s second location in Iowa and the first location for local auto dealership owner, Marty Rouse, who is the primary developer of the new location.

“I was searching for a way to diversify my business portfolio, and after doing some research, I discovered Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza,” says Rouse. “This concept provides authentic, wood-fired pizza using the freshest ingredients. We feel that Cedar Falls is the perfect market for Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza and we can’t wait to open our doors and begin serving customers.”

In addition to being a Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza Franchisee, Rouse also serves on the Grundy Center Fire Department, where he has been a volunteer firefighter for over 30 years. This is not Rouse’s first foray into the business world, as he has worked at Rouse Motor Company, an auto dealership in Grundy Center, for 30 years. He plans on using his business experience from the car dealership to make his new Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza location a success.

Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza is a fast-casual franchise concept that serves authentic, artisan wood-fired pizzas. All pizzas are customizable and baked in a 900-degree wood-fired oven that cooks the pizzas to perfection in just 90 seconds.

“Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza offers a product and experience unlike anything in the pizza space,” adds Matt Mongoven, the Franchisor of Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza. “We use aged oak in our wood-fired ovens to cook our pizzas which creates a smoky flavor that can’t be replicated with other cooking methods. Visiting our locations provides a unique experience as customers are able to watch their pizza creation being made right in front of them.

In addition to the new location in Cedar Falls, Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza has plans to open locations in Nebraska and Colorado in 2020 and additional states in 2021.

Emerging Concepts, Fast Casual, News