Thursday, December 22, 2022

[CLOSURE ALERT] Pizza Parlor Pulls the Plug

Your Pie, an Atlanta-based pizza franchise quietly closed its location at Embry Village near Tucker.  The restaurant, which opened in 2018, reportedly closed without notice more than a month ago.  The 2,854 square foot space is currently being marketed for lease by center owner Kimco Properties.   

The Athens born and now Alpharetta-based franchise debuted a new logo and branding October 3.  The Tucker-Embry Hills specific Facebook page for Your Pie noted the logo change and posted again on October 31, but has been silent since.  That said, there is no other indication on the page to suggest the restaurant is closed, despite the fact that it is.   

Launched by entrepreneur Drew French in 2008, Your Pie has today grown into a national chain of more than 70 restaurants.  More than half - 41 to be exact - of the chain's locations are in Georgia.  The chain's other 33 locations are spread across fourteen states.  

A Dunwoody location of Your Pie in what is now known as Ashford Lane closed in September 2019.  The former pizza shop space, which was originally a Five Guys, reopened this past October as an outpost of Brown Bag Seafood Company.

In Buckhead, Your Pie closed its West Paces Ferry Road location, previously a Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, and before that a Johnny Rockets, in March 2020.  The freestanding building just off Peachtree Road near Whole Foods Market is currently undergoing renovations to open in 2023 as The Salty Donut, a Miami-based doughnut business.   

A Your Pie restaurant on Memorial Drive in Grant Park closed earlier this year, but reopened November 18 under new ownership and management.  

Despite the isolated struggles, Your Pie seems to be the dominant player locally in the "build your own pizza" space.  

Uncle Maddio's Pizza, which was started by a co-founder of Moe's Southwest Grill in 2009, today operates just nine locations, down from a peak of 38 in 2015.  That same year, the company claimed to be "on track to have 300 restaurants open in five years with 1,000 units in development" with new units reportedly opening every 10 days. Today, according to online records, 53 Uncle Maddio's franchises have closed with one new non-traditional location listed as "coming soon" to Newnan.  

Amazingly, one of those rare Uncle Maddio's that remains open is at Northlake (Tower) Festival near Northlake [Mall].  

Nationally, the build your own pizza market is dominated by two chains: MOD and Blaze.  

The first MOD Pizza opened in Seattle in 2008 and today the chain operates more than 500 locations nationwide including nine in Georgia.  

Blaze Pizza didn't open until 2011 in Irvine, California, but the chain now has more than 340 locations nationwide including six in Georgia.  

Are you surprised to see Your Pie in Embry Village close?  What would you like to see open in place of Your Pie in Embry Village?  Which concept do you think offers the best build your own pizza?

Please share your thoughts below. 

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nor surprised at all to see the Embry Village location close. I think it has been closed since late spring. It never seemed to have much business. That part of the shopping center typically doesn't do well expect for the very good and well run Jersey Mikes!!

Anonymous said...

your pie in Dunwoody was always better than MOD or blaze. I would definitely patronize your pie again if it came to the general area. Outside of that we drive to blaze in decatur as their product is really good. MOD has two locations much closer but we prefer to drive to blaze. why such a drive? All these so-called authentic pizza places have got really crappy pizzas the last several years. Even Galla‘s has gone downhill. Ever since corner Pizza closed there’s just not good pizza around anywhere. Shout out to Chris from corner pizza! Could somebody post any suggestions for a really good hand tossed pizza?

Anonymous said...

I shop at Embry Village and I think it's been closed much longer than just a month.

Anonymous said...

Tried it once and it was weird

Anonymous said...

Not been to that location, but I'm surprised that any Your Pie is still around. It's crazy expensive for what you get, takes a long time to be fast food and all in all is an awkward experience.

Anonymous said...

this trend has to stop. fast pizza is bad pizza.

Anonymous said...

"Amazingly"?

Anon said...

Went there once. Didn't perform well against Blaze and favorite MOD pizza

Anonymous said...

Would love for a dine in restaurant to go into the plaza. Ever since the galaxy went out, the area has been missing something. Either in the Your Pie or the other units on the end. Or even build out on the parcel where galaxy was and the gas station on Henderson. Flying Biscuit please come!

Anonymous said...

Good riddance. I had horrible service from them; and like another commenter said, it takes way, way too long. I prefer MOD Pizza anyhow.

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