Fast-Casual, Build-Your-Own Pizza Concept Opens on Archer Road
Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza will host the grand opening of it’s first Gainesville location on Friday, January 9th. The new location is snuggled between Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s at 3617 Archer Road.
As part of the kickoff anyone that follows Blaze Pizza on instagram, Twitter or Facebook will be eligible to receive a free 11-inch customizable artisan pizza between the hours of 11 a.m. and 10:30 pm.
Blaze currently operates restaurants in 15 states and the District of Columbia, including the major metropolitan areas of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C. and was founded by Elise and Rick Wetzel (co-founder of Wetzel’s Pretzels). Investors in Blaze include LeBron James and Maria Shriver.
Blaze is unique in that they offer an interactive, assembly-line format allowing customers to choose from both classic and inventive ingredients including house-made sauces, fresh vegetables and hand-selected meats and cheeses – all for under $8. Dedicated “pizzasmiths” then “fast-fire” the 11” thin-crust pies, cooking them in under 180 seconds.
“Gainesville prides itself on victories in every arena and Blaze is the newest winning combination for the area,” said Dennis Sherer, Blaze Managing Partner in North Central Florida. “Blaze offers all your classic ‘pizza joint’ favorites, but without the wait.”
Blaze Pizza makes its own dough from scratch using a recipe developed by Executive Chef Brad Kent (“The Pizza Whisperer”), which requires a 24-hour fermentation period to produce his signature crust. The location includes 75 seats with seating for another 30 guests on two outdoor patios. The restaurant also boasts gluten-free and vegan options and an assortment of wine and craft beers.
The Gainesville Blaze Pizza is operated by The Millennial Restaurant Group, which plans to develop restaurants in Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. The partnership consists of James Patterson Sr., Jim Patterson II, Ulysses (Junior) Bridgeman, Wayne Albritton and Collins Cogan.
