In starting his mobile pizza kitchen five years ago, Jim Baker was fulfilling a lot of personal goals.
Jim’s son, Jameson, has Asberger syndrome, and Jim wanted to start a business where his son could work. Like many with Asberger syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum, Jameson is very intelligent, but communicates on a different level than those without.
A fan of wood-fired oven pizza in the Neapolitan style, Jim also wanted to bring his favorite type of pizza to Midland county.
What resulted is Pizza Baker, the mobile pizza kitchen found at events both public and private throughout Midland and the surrounding area.
"We’re a family-owned small business with our own version of a Neapolitan style pizza," Jim says. "I built this business to give my son a job, but we’re very tuned in to hiring as many people with disabilities as we can."
Among his employees is a U.S. military veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Jim says his business splits its time pretty evenly between private catered events like graduation parties and public places. Regular public appearances include Midland Area Farmers Market every Wednesday and the Larkin Beer Garden every Thursday.
Pizza Baker hauls an oven on a trailer, going from event to event. Jim sets up under a ten foot-by-ten foot pop-up tent.
Business is going so well, in fact, that Jim is eyeing a permanent brick-and-mortar location in downtown Midland next spring.
"I see downtown Midland to continue to develop. It’s small but it’s been around a long time and I know Midland wants to grow it," Jim says. "There’s a lot of activity going on and the beer garden and farmers market keep growing.
"I like the environment downtown and I want to be a part of it."
Follow Pizza Baker online to catch them at their next location.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
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