SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza’s first franchise location is now open in Southern California in the City of Orange near Honda Center and Angels Stadium of Anaheim in Orange County. The restaurant is operated by Hofman Hospitality Group (HHG), which has completed a franchise agreement to open 37 SPIN! restaurants throughout Southern California. SPIN!’s fast-casual concept is known for its artisan food made from fresh ingredients without the gourmet price; its eclectic, affordable premium wines; and its warm culture and environment.
SPIN!’s first franchisee, HHG, also founded and operates two successful restaurant concepts in the West, including 17 Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que locations in California, Arizona, and Nevada, and five Hof’s Hut restaurants in Southern California. HHG will open a second SPIN! in early 2014 in Los Alamitos, California.
Honored as one of the “Rest of the 101 Best Restaurants” in the nation by top foodie website TheDailyMeal.com, SPIN! serves authentic Neapolitan pizza coupled with the types of salads, sandwiches, and sides that appeal to a more healthful and eclectic American palate. One of its more popular pizzas, the Margherita, was crowned one of the best dishes of 2012 by a national trade publication, its architecture won Best of Show, and it has been awarded best pizza honors by numerous publications in its hometown of Kansas City.
SPIN! was founded in 2005 by restaurant industry veterans Gail and Richard Lozoff and Edwin Brownell, who are experienced in large multiunit expansion, franchising, and operations. The Lozoffs had visited pizzerias across Italy and wanted to create a warm and fun modern dining experience built around the earthy flavors of Italy with a fresh and healthy emphasis. They partnered with James Beard Award–winning chef Michael Smith to create a broadly appealing menu that features authentic Neapolitan pizza with a modern culinary twist. The award-winning concept has five locations in Greater Kansas City with a sixth under construction.
“At SPIN!, our goal is to serve a perfetta (perfect) pizza to every guest and to make each guest feel totally cared for,” Gail Lozoff says. “In Italy, pizza is an important part of the fabric of life, shared almost every day with friends and family. We wanted to bring that casual, delicious experience to the U.S. and are thrilled to have found a like-minded franchise partner like Craig Hofman.”
SPIN! also is recognized for its pioneering hybrid service model, which combines traditionalfast-casual ordering in the restaurant’s lobby with a robust full-service experience at the table. The “premium fast-casual” system is appealing to diners, such as families and employees on lunch break, who want to control the speed of their meal without sacrificing service.
Hofman says SPIN! Neapolitan Pizza’s unique service model, authentic Neapolitan pizza, and menu offer a new kind of dining experience in Southern California. “Before I partnered with the founders of SPIN!, I was on a quest to create my own Neapolitan pizza brand. When I first visited SPIN! in Kansas City, the menu and the attention to quality and innovation immediately impressed me. I am convinced that SPIN! will appeal tremendously to pizza and fresh artisan food lovers here in Orange County,” he says.
