Marco's Pizza Franchise News

Partnership to Eventually Put Hundreds of Pizza Shops in the Movie Rental Chain's Stores.
TOLEDO, Ohio, March 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marco's Pizza and Family Video are bringing new meaning to the phrase "pizza and a movie" thanks to a more than $100 million partnership that will eventually put hundreds of Marco's shops in the movie rental chain's stores.
"This partnership is a perfect fit for both of us," said Jack Butorac, CEO of Marco's Pizza. "When someone goes to a pizza shop, it is often a take-home activity. Now, consumers have the option of placing their order and browsing videos. We've essentially simplified the pleasure of picking up a pie and movie for a night in."
Family Video is also working with a system that allows customers to reserve movies online they wish to pick up in the store...

December 21, 2010 // Franchising.com // TOLEDO, OHIO – Marco's Pizza, the nation's fastest-growing pizza company, topped off a phenomenal year of franchise growth with an Entrepreneur 'Franchise 500' list ranking of 127 – marking a jump of 73 spots over last year.

Marco's, with more than 220 locations in 17 states, 34 of which opened in 2010 alone, attributes much of the growth to proactively creating funding sources that allowed new franchise partners to open their stores.

"While many other chains were stagnant due to challenges getting loans through traditional sources, our team secured millions of dollars in alternative funding and developed creative financing programs that fueled our record growth," said Jack Butorac, Marco's Chief Executive Officer...

Nation's Fastest-Growing Pizza Company Remains Unstoppable with Funding Sources, Superior Product

September 17, 2010 // Franchising.com // TOLEDO, OHIO - Marco's Pizza, with more than 220 locations in 17 states, continues its run as the nation's fastest-growing pizza company, announcing that it has secured agreements so far this year for 246 new locations, with plans to finalize additional development deals in the Fourth Quarter.

"We're now passing last year's records in terms of new stores opened and new stores sold into development at this point in the calendar, so while the economy has not been doing favors for the country, things are healthy in the Marco's Pizza world," said Jack Butorac, Marco's Chief Executive Officer...

Financing Not a Barrier for Nation's Fastest-Growing Pizza Company July 23, 2010 // Franchising.com // TOLEDO, OHIO – Bucking the trend of an incredibly tight credit market, Marco's Pizza announced today it has been approved to receive up to $7.5 million for existing and prospective franchisees in funding from Main Street Bank of San Antonio, TX to continue its impressive growth spurt nationwide.

Marco's Pizza, the fastest-growing pizza company in the United States, will strategically work with their franchise system to allocate the funds to help those franchisees who want to open new locations but don't have the capital. Recipients of this financing must own at least one Marco's Pizza, or one unit of another franchise brand...

Major Dough to Grow: Bank Approves $7.5 Million Expansion Fund for Marco's Pizza

July 22, 2010 // Franchising.com // TOLEDO, OHIO - Bucking the trend of an incredibly tight credit market, Marco's Pizza announced today it has been approved to receive up to $7.5 million for existing and prospective franchisees in funding from Main Street Bank of San Antonio, TX to continue its impressive growth spurt nationwide.

Marco's Pizza, the fastest-growing pizza company in the United States, will strategically work with their franchise system to allocate the funds to help those franchisees who want to open new locations but don't have the capital. Recipients of this financing must own at least one Marco's Pizza, or one unit of another franchise brand...

Atlanta, GA--(Marketwire) - Marco's Pizza, home of the Ah!thentic Italian Pizza, opened its first Georgia unit at 1290 Double Churches Road, Columbus, GA. Phone number for the new store is 706-507-3333.

The new store offers customers seven day a week service with the Marco's menu of custom made Ah!thentic Italian Pizza, fresh baked subs, salads, chicken wings and soft drinks.

Scott Dickey, owner of Big Papa's LLC, the franchise company that acquired the rights to expand up to 25 Marco's into Columbus, Macon, Albany DMA's plus Auburn, Opelika and LaGrange, announced the opening.

Marco's Pizza, headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, was founded in 1978. Marco's Pizza is committed to making Ah!thentic Italian Pizza with fresh ingredients...

Cincinnati, OH--(Marketwire) - Three veteran franchisees and their company Four Slices, LLC will meet a demand they have identified in the Cincinnati area for what they term a "great pizza" by announcing plans to open 35-40 Marco's Pizzas, home of the Ah!thentic Italian Pizza, in the Cincy area.

Kevin Pong, a native of Cincinnati and franchisee of 12 Great Clips in the Cincy, Toledo and Michigan area, his Great Clips Partner Ken White, who is also a pharmaceutical engineer, and Dave Knoles, a former 25 year franchisee and area representative for Domino's Pizza in Florida, announced the agreement and expansion plans with Jack Butorac Jr., president, Marco's Franchising . Butorac and a team of franchise development veterans launched the 30-year-old Marco's Pizza on a growth plan after acquiring the franchise rights for the company from its Italian founder...

36 Units Targeted for San Jose Area Pleasanton, CA--(Marketwire) - Nidhi Gupta and Deepak Gupta, a former senior executive with a number of global high technology firms and who has grown tech companies from zero to $100-million in revenues, will bring their business savvy to the world of pizza and will open up to 36 Marcos™ Pizza stores, home of the Ah! thentic Italian Pizza, in the East Bay and Central Valley areas of northern California.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marcos™ Franchising, who launched the 30-year-old chain from Toledo, OH on a growth curve with a team of franchise development specialists with more than 200 years of collective experience, announced the growth agreement.

"We were looking for a pizza that stood out from the rest and Marcos™ fits the bill," Gupta said...

FALLS CHURCH, VA--(Marketwire - August 20, 2008) - Robert Swarts, a 25-year veteran of restaurant operations and franchise relations for Applebees, Starbucks, Domino's Pizza and others, started his own operation, Straws Development, LLC, and will open up to 25 Marco's Pizzas, a rapidly growing 30-year-old pizza company, in the Washington, DC metro area of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

According to Swarts, who will be assisted in the effort by his wife Ellen, a certified public accountant, the first Marco's Pizza for his operation will open in Fredericksburg, VA in Fall 2008.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marco's Franchising, LLC, announced the growth agreement. Butorac and a team of veteran franchise development experts are steering the company on a growth curve and they will open 50 stores this year...

TUCSON, AZ--(Marketwire - March 18, 2008) - Area Director David Jeffers announced the first of eleven Marco's Pizza stores slated for the Tucson area will open on March 28th. The store will be located at the Fiesta Plaza, 5650 S. 12th Ave. in Tucson and can be reached at (520) 746-3000.

Marco's Pizza is based out of Toledo, Ohio and is the only Top 25 Pizza Chain whose founder is from Italy. As such, the new store will feature Ah!thentic Italian pizza, toasted subs, salads, chicken wings as well as soft drinks with carryout and delivery service.

Brian Kramer, a resident of the community, will manage the new store.

The second store is set to open in May and will be located in the Safeway Plaza at 6360 E...

TOLEDO, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marco's Pizza, founded here 29 years ago and home of the Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, will finish out 2007 with a bang as the company reported that System same store sales through November exceeded six percent above the previous year, company managed stores were over 11 percent ahead of the same period a year ago, and that Marco's had signed 472 new stores for expansion.

Jack Butorac, Jr., chief executive officer (CEO), Marco's Franchising, LLC has pointed the company towards ambitious growth goals of 500 units by 2010, but noted that the sales improvements were the result of solid execution at the store level and dividends being paid on the successful Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza positioning.

"We knew that Marco's always had a superior product among pizza chain operators, and now our marketing is able to tell that story to consumers," Butorac said...

TOLEDO, OH--(Marketwire - December 18, 2007) - Marco's Pizza, founded here 29 years ago and home of the Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, has named Peter Wise, a 24-year domestic and international marketing veteran, to the position of marketing vice president.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marco's Franchising, LLC, who with a team of franchise development specialists launched Marco's on a national expansion program, announced the appointment.

"Peter Wise is yet another piece to our management puzzle of savvy, experienced management executives who will help move us towards our growth and revenue goals," Butorac said. "Our current franchise development team has over 200 years combined experience."

Wise was general manager, executive director, brand and communication strategist for Landor Associates, San Francisco and Irvine, CA in years prior to the appointment...

HAMPTON, VA--(Marketwire - October 25, 2007) - Retired U.S. Air Force Major Ferdie Gozum will open the first Marco's Pizza, home of the Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, in Virginia with a store at West Mercury Shops, 3322 C, Hampton, VA in early November. The site will represent the ninth state for the rapidly growing Marco's, which was founded in Toledo, OH 29 years ago.

Gozum, who plans to open up to three units in Virginia, said the new 2400 square feet Marco's Pizza in Hampton will offer customers carryout, delivery and sit down service for up to 36 persons and the Marco's menu of custom made Ah! Thentic Italian Pizzas, fresh baked subs, chicken wings, salads and soft drinks.

Gozum will serve as manager and expects to employ up to 25 persons for the seven day a week operation...

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwire - September 6, 2007) - William Vincent, author of numerous books and articles on franchising and a top franchise attorney and college professor, and Dan Marshall, founder of Franchise Advisers and a former executive with Tektronix and Intergraph, both Fortune 500 companies, announced they will add another 20 Marco's Ah! Thentic Italian Pizzerias to Southern Atlanta, bringing the total number of Marco's Pizzas in Atlanta area to 41.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marco's Franchising, based in Toledo where it was founded 28 years ago by Italian native Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco, announced the agreement.

According to Marshall, whose company expects to open its first Marco's Pizza in the Atlanta marketplace in late 2007 with their company Rambling Brands, LLC, he and Vincent are convinced that Atlanta represents a strong growth market for Marco's and that they are now in the process of responding to inquiries from prospective franchisees...

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--(Marketwire - August 9, 2007) - Marco's Pizza, founded in Toledo, OH 29 years ago and home of the Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, announced plans to open 38 stores in Oklahoma including 21 in Oklahoma City and 17 in the Tulsa area.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marco's Franchising, LLC, a franchise development veteran, announced the agreement with MG Pizza Ventures based here.

The first unit, which will represent the 9th state for Marco's, is expected to open October 2007.

The new Marco's Pizza Oklahoma restaurants will offer the Marco's menu of custom made Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, fresh baked subs, salads, chicken wings and soft drinks with carryout, delivery and some sit down service...

TOLEDO, OH--(Marketwire - August 2, 2007) - Sandwich shop owners are finding Marco's Pizza the ideal concept to expand their business portfolio, and more may be on the way.

Last week, Marco's Pizza franchise development specialists were one of 15 concepts to be invited to the North American Association of Subway Franchisees (NAASF) Annual Business Expo in New Orleans. NAASF and its 8,000 members represent some 15,000 Subway Shops.

Led by Marco's Franchising, LLC President Jack Butorac Jr. and his team of franchise development specialists, the Marco's team presented their concept to NAASF members of the 29-year-old Marco's Pizza.

According to Bryon Stephens, Marco's Pizza vice president of franchising, Quizno and Subway shop owners appreciate the balance that Marco's Pizza can give their business portfolio of food concepts...

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Marco's Pizza, the 28-year-old chain founded in Toledo and home of the Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, has signed an agreement with Dough Developers, Inc. to open more than 200 units through out the state of Florida over the next seven to 10 years.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marco's Franchising LLC, announced the record expansion agreement for Marco's with Dough Developers principals' Glenn Ajmo, Scott Decker and Jon Gaudineer.

Coming on the heels of the introduction of Marco's Pizza to Florida residents at the opening of a restaurant in Newport Richey, FL this past Spring, Ajmo said he and his partners have researched "hot growth concepts" and combined with the reception the Newport Richey store received, "Marco's is the brand we want to work with...

TOLEDO, OH--(Marketwire - June 28, 2007) - Don Vlcek, a former vice president of Domino's Pizza, a member of its executive team and president of Domino's Pizza Distribution Corp., has been appointed vice president of purchasing for Marco's Pizza, the rapidly growing home of Ah! Thentic Italian Pizza, founded in Toledo 28 years ago.

Jack Butorac, Jr., president of Marco's Franchising, who acquired Marco's from Italian native Pasquale "Pat" Giammarco, and has assembled a team of veteran franchise development and pizza experts to grow the company, announced the appointment.

Late last year, Butorac also tapped the ranks of Domino's alumni when he named former Domino's President Dave Black to the role of executive vice president...