During a recent movie night, the conversation amongst my friends drifted into reminiscence. Specifically, pizza. Growing up in the 80s, pizza only came to us by way of special events, or sheet pans from the school lunch ladies. Sometimes we’d spend all summer reading, logging books, turning in forms; just to earn enough points through the ‘Book It’ program. We’d walk into our local Pizza Hut, wearing our Book It buttons with pride and receive our personal pan pizza. Pizza had gravity back then, because it had to be earned.
Today, our kids have access to unlimited options. Different crusts flavors, an array of diverse toppings, and regional styles. They’ve never known a world without cauliflower crust and mobile apps with GPS coordinates of the deliveryman. The magic of scarcity is gone. It’s been replaced by excess that’s equally impressive and overwhelming. This contrast between generations came to a head recently, when my son had the day off from school. It was one of those mid-semester “makeup testing days “ that leaves parents scrambling for a plan. Rather than letting him disappear into a digital world of Minecraft and YouTube, I recruited him for a Pizza market research roadtrip.
As we drove, I explained our mission. Today, there are approximately 75,000 pizzerias in the United States. Despite Wheat Ridge’s compact footprint of 9.58 square miles, it’s a concentrated hub for crust and sauce. With 10 specialized pizzerias serving a population of 32,398. The city boasts roughly one pizzeria for every 3,240 residents, outpacing the national average by 40%. National chains like Domino’s and Little Caesars seem to dominate traditional carryout and delivery operations, while communities continue to be anchored by institutional pizza pillars.
Wheat Ridge’s 10 Pizzarias
• Pietra’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant, 9045 W 44th Ave
• Jet’s Pizza, 3926 Wadsworth Blvd
• Li’l Nick’s Pizza, 5016 Kipling St
• Esters Gold’s Marketplace, 10151 W 26th Ave
• Marco’s Pizza, 3795 Wadsworth Blvd
• Grammy’s Goodies, 4601 Harlan St
• Denver Pizza, 5455 W. 38th Ave
• Domino’s Pizza, 3200 Wadsworth Blvd
• Little Caesars Pizza, 3800 Wadsworth Blvd
• Papa Johns Pizza, 4990 Kipling St
The first stop on our road trip was Pietra’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant on West 44th Avenue. Pietra’s has been slinging slices since 1964. Owner Joe DeMott, who took over from his father Paul, maintains a philosophy that explains why local spots endure: “Never do what’s right for the business, always do what’s right for the customer.” In a town that values its roots, Pietra’s is part of the community, with sister and cousin restaurants like Garramone’s and Randi’s keeping the tradition alive across the metro area.
It’s evident that Pietra’s is part of the local Wheat Ridge DNA. During the lunch service on a Friday afternoon, booths were filled with patrons from all walks of life, from working professionals on their lunch break to families also filling their Friday without school with mozzarella and marinara sauce. Watching my own son happily eating his pizza in a booth that had seen sixty years of history was stepping back into the 80’s with my own father. I felt a strong urge to buy him a copy of Goosebumps or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Before I could, we set off for our second stop, which included a bit more history. Wheat Ridge’s pizza scene is an ever evolving tapestry and specialized regional imports are gaining a foothold. Detroit-style pizza, for example, originated in the Motor City during the 1940s when automotive assembly lines were pivoting away from the WWII defensive efforts, and back to auto making. The forged-steel blue pans, initially used as automotive parts trays, were used as baking trays out of rationing necessities. Unlike traditional round pies that engage a thin, foldable crust; Detroit style is light, airy rectangulars that have crispy corners on every side.
Leading this charge is local Jets Pizza operator, Zack Good, at 3926 Wadsworth Blvd. At 16 years old, Good started his career as most restaurateurs do… washing dishes. Decades later, Good’s career has grown alongside Jet’s. He’s moved several times over the years, from Detroit to Kentucky, but found a home in Colorado in 2016. At the time, he managed 4 of Jet’s Colorado locations. Today, he owns and operates 7 out of 13 Jet’s locations in the Centennial State – Wheat Ridge among them. When I asked him why Wheat Ridge was selected, it surprised me to learn the conversation wasn’t rooted in market research or detailed demographics studies or even traffic flow, it was about community.
Good talks about his goal of investing in his community with everything from flyers, coupon programs, partnerships with local elementary schools, booster nights, connections with fire departments and first responders. It’s apparent he is doing the work to become part of the community. But he is also quick to point out the challenges of being a new business in town.“It can be hard to get people to try [new pizza], but they tend to come back once they do!”
Good explains that the “The Denver market has been great to us – but specifically this community — that’s where we want to be.” On a typical week, the Wheat Ridge location will dish out a thousand pizzas. But that volume is growing. “It’s not unusual for our Littleton location to see 3,000 or even 4,000 pizzas on busier weeks.” He went on to express that a significant portion of his revenue is made up of boneless and bone-in oven baked chicken wings and other harmonious products. Without hesitation Good was proud of his claim that their ranch sauce simply is the best in the business. Having tried it, we’re not in a position to argue.
After only two stops, our epic road trip hit a barrier. The six year old refused to go any further as he was too stuffed to continue. The forty two year old physically couldn’t continue on account of too much dairy and not enough Pepto Bismol. As our stamina began to wane, the narrative of the city’s pizza landscape began to unfold. Like any suburban metropolis, Wheat Ridge has the classic markings of a pizza infrastructure, meant to feed hungry citizens. But it also has embraced multi-purpose establishments that blur the lines of tradition. Social Dough, for example, operates a mobile wood-fired kitchen out of New Image Brewing on 44th Avenue. While Esters Neighborhood Pub serves as a cornerstone of the Gold’s Marketplace revitalization, rounding out its menu with nachos, sandwiches, and desserts.
Ultimately, what makes pizza universal to region, to age group, and even discerning pallets, is that it’s so delightfully lawless. New Yorkers fold their slices into edible envelopes for life on-the-go, Detroiters attack their rectangular treasures with both hands. And Chicagoans? They’ve essentially abandoned the traditional concept, and embraced a chaotic, cheesy casserole that requires cutlery and a fair amount of patience. Whether you’re a traditionalist or a rebel, Wheat Ridge has clearly decided that you can never have too much of a good thing.
