SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza’s newest franchisee, international operator Dee Jay’s, will open its first SPIN! Pizza location on Thursday in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. SPIN! Pizza’s agreement with the experienced restaurant operator calls for Dee Jay’s to open a minimum of five restaurants in Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota over the next six years. The new franchisee currently operates a number of successful dining concepts in those markets.
SPIN! has franchises in California, six company-owned locations in its home market of Missouri and Kansas, three units under construction in Dallas, and three more under construction in Greater Kansas City.
The newest SPIN! is opening its doors at 248 Olson Drive in Papillion’s Midland’s Place shopping center. Franchisee Dee Jay’s has operated restaurants for more than 50 years. Dee Jay’s currently operates a number of top-ranked fast-food concepts in Canada and the U.S., including KFC, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers, and A&W, and its own casual-dining concept, Eddie Websters. Dee Jay’s is based in Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada.
SPIN! Pizza’s Ed Brownell, one of four partners experienced in large multiunit expansion, franchising, and operations, says Dee Jay’s is a great match for SPIN! because of its shared values and proven record operating successful food establishments.
“SPIN!’s franchisees are seasoned restaurateurs who share our commitment to delivering a quality product and experience. We are confident that, in Dee Jay’s, we have found a partner who shares our core values for operating restaurants,” Brownell says.
Brian Johnson, president and CEO of Dee Jay’s, says he had been searching for the right entry into the premium fast casual industry because he is convinced that it is the growth segment within the food service environment. While looking for a location for one of Dee Jay’s existing brands, he came across a SPIN! restaurant.
“Right from our first look, we knew this was the right concept,” Johnson says. “There are a lot of artisan pizza places to choose from, but they’re all playing catch-up to SPIN!”
