Blaze Pizza works to open Ann Arbor pizzeria in late July

Blaze Pizza is in the midst of opening its first franchise in Ann Arbor on the city's west side near the intersection of Washtenaw and U.S. 23.

The fast-casual pizza company aims to open the location by late July, and it's in a city the firm has been targeting for a long time.

"We like college towns," says Darla Brown, marketing director of Blaze Midwest, which owns the franchises opening in Michigan. "Also, Ann Arbor is a place in Michigan you really want to be."

Blaze Pizza’s secret sauce is custom-built artisanal pizzas, freshly made salads, blood orange lemonade and s'more pies. Each restaurant features an interactive open-kitchen format that allows guests to customize one of the menu's signature 11-inch pizzas or create their own for about $8. The pizzas are then cooked in an open-flame oven, the centerpiece of the restaurant, so they are ready to eat in just 180 seconds.

The first Blaze Pizza opened in California in 2012 and now has locations across North America. It opened its first franchise in downtown Royal Oak in 2013 and now has franchises in Novi, Kalamazoo and Lansing. Ann Arbor was the first town Blaze Midwest targeted in Michigan but the right opportunity for a space didn’t present itself until this year.

"The timing was right with this new development," Brown says. She adds, "We love this area. We would also love to be closer to campus if the right place opens up."

Source: Darla Brown, marketing director for Blaze Midwest
Writer: Jon Zemke

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