Sq. Pie’s Detroit-style pizza ensures each slice has the crispy edge. | Photograph courtesy of Daniel Beck.
Marc Schechter is approaching a little bit of a crossroads.
The co-founder of the Sq. Pie Guys pizza chain, primarily based in San Francisco, Schechter opened unit No. 5 in Palo Alto on Tuesday. No. 6 is scheduled to open in Walnut Creek, California, earlier than the top of the yr, taking the Detroit-style pizza model from three to 6 in a yr, all within the Bay Space.
As soon as these are up and working, Schechter mentioned he plans to take a seat down together with his management staff to have a look at the place to go from right here.
Ought to they franchise? The model is constructed on the standard of dough made in every restaurant, in order that might be difficult.
Ought to they search for a strategic investor to assist fund the subsequent stage of progress from six to, say, 30?
“Or is that this only a nice model that we go away alone?” he posed. “We’ll take a look at 2027 with all choices on the desk.”
It’s not a horrible place to be in, for a man who was in software program gross sales earlier than he began making pizza at residence. Schechter mentioned he was seduced by a web-based pizza-making group that was one of many (arguably few) type and useful locations to assemble on the Web in 2016. Schechter mentioned he fell in love with the very fundamental act of creating meals for individuals.
The inside of Sq. Pie Guys Palo Alto, which opened this week. | Photograph courtesy of Spencer Tsang.
It is the basic story. First, he cooked for household and mates, and that result in popups. Schechter started to develop a following. In 2017, he began working at some pizza ideas (Pizzeria Delfina and Pizzahacker).
“These weren’t levels,” mentioned Schechter. “These had been precise jobs. I simply mentioned, ‘Hey, I’ve by no means labored in a restaurant.’ And all these locations had been, like, ‘, we want individuals with an excellent angle who’re keen to indicate up on time.’ And that was me.”
Initially, Schechter was experimenting with all method of pizza kinds. At any time when he posted a sq. Detroit-style pie, a buddy’s spouse would troll him viciously (even pizza lovers will be haters). So Schechter launched a separate Instagram account known as Sq. Pie Man to submit photographs of his sq. slices in peace.
On the time, he was engaged on his Detroit pies at a wine bar, the place he was doing a popup. A pair that deliberate to get married there got here in for a tasting. They tried the Detroit pies and insisted he cater their marriage ceremony, which gave Schechter the chance to spend money on the mandatory pans for that uniquely crispy crust.
The wine bar popup grew to become branded as Sq. Pie Guys. By 2018, Schechter after which co-founder Danny Stoller had been purchasing for leases. The primary brick-and-mortar Sq. Pie Guys opened in 2019.
On the time, within the Bay Space, there wasn’t quite a lot of Detroit pizza. Famed pizza maker Tony Gemignani provided a Detroit-style amongst many different forms of pizza at his North Seaside restaurant Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, however Schechter mentioned they actually pioneered the sq. pie.
The restaurant options one measurement of pizza in an eight-by-10-inch pan, which feeds two and ensures everybody will get the crispy tacky aspect bits.
Pizzas vary in worth from about $20 to $24, and there’s a build-your-own choice, together with wings, salads and an inventory of dipping sauces, from Mike’s Sizzling Honey to cilantro-lime crema.
Schechter mentioned he had the foresight to see a possibility with supply for Sq. Pie Guys early on, a transfer that was solely accentuated when somebody put the idea on the DoorDash market with out their information.
A DoorDash driver would present up with a debit card and fake to be a daily buyer. After they discovered of it, Schechter mentioned they realized individuals had been keen to pay $10 to $15 greater than the precise worth for his or her pies.
So Schechter mentioned they did a take care of Caviar in 2019, “and that grew to become a rocket ship.”
When the pandemic shutdown hit, Sq. Pie Guys was well-positioned. “We already had on-line ordering arrange and processes in place,” he mentioned. “We by no means actually closed, apart from one or two exposures in 2020. We simply stored pushing out pizza.”
Models opened in Oakland (2021) after which on the waterfront in Ghirardelli Sq. (2022). They partnered with Native Kitchens doing licensed models out of the ghost kitchen-style meals halls, which unfold model consciousness. (The Palo Alto Sq. Pie unit open this week replaces the previous Native Kitchens location there.)
Sq. Pie Guys gives one measurement that feeds a minimum of two. | Photograph courtesy of Spencer Tsang.
Off-premise (together with takeout) continues to be at least 50% of gross sales for Sq. Pie, and generally as excessive as 70%, Schechter mentioned.
In 2022, nonetheless, Stoller and Schechter went their separate methods, with Schechter remaining because the Sq. Pie Man, together with loyal family and friends that helped fund the expansion to this point.
All models are company-owned. And Schechter continues to flirt with offshoots with popups. There was a thin-crust and tavern-style pizza idea (Bar Pie Guys), and a New York-style idea (Sliced Pie Guys).
Schechter mentioned he got here very near bringing one in all them to Los Angeles, after he and his spouse got here down to assist increase cash for these impacted by the wildfires earlier this yr.
He has additionally flirted with constructing a commissary kitchen to make the dough off-site, which might assist scale progress. However Schechter mentioned he determined it will be too costly.
Now all dough is made on web site in every restaurant, and the chain has created programs to make sure consistency is maintained, like water meters to measure temperature and weight particularly.
“It’s the standard that actually units you other than the large manufacturers,” he mentioned.
Schechter mentioned he’s making an attempt to constantly create new alternatives so the corporate has choices.
“I wish to be sure the individuals who work listed here are paid effectively and have a brilliant future,” he mentioned. “And the identical for me.”
He declined to share a gross sales quantity, although he mentioned, “We’re wholesome. We’re proud of the highest line and margins.”
When individuals ask about his plans for progress, he mentioned the simple reply is to say Sq. Pie Guys would be the subsequent massive restaurant chain that can scale.
“However I’ve to remind myself that it is a actually troublesome enterprise to do efficiently,” he mentioned. “I wish to preserve myself in verify and never get too far over my skis.”
