Marion's Piazza

Marion's Piazza

Deluxe Pizza with extra cheese, with characteristic small square slices

Marion's Piazza is a pizzeria chain based in Dayton, Ohio. Established in 1965 by Marion Glass, the company currently operates 7 restaurants throughout the greater Dayton area. Marion's is renowned for its unique style of pizza, characterized by its traditional preparation and small square slices. The chain is intensely popular with Dayton locals and has been awarded the title of "Best Pizza" 23 times^{[citation needed]}. The notability of the chain is evident in the annual sales consistently reaching over $10 million, from only 7 locations, achieved with little to no advertising^[1] Marion's popularity has made it part of Dayton traditions for over 45 years and an essential component to the local culture. The pizzeria's 275 employees made a total of around 1 million pizzas in 2009.^[2] Announced January 4th, 2010, Marion's is expanding to Troy, and near Cincinnati in Mason, which will bring the number of stores to 9^[3]

1965 Price Promotions

Every 5 years, for one day only, Marion's Piazza sells their traditional menu items at the original 1965 price (e.g., a small cheese pizza for $0.80 and a large deluxe pizza for $2.50) ^[4].

Kenley Players Cast Parties

One of the distinct characteristics of every Marion's Piazza location is the photos found on the walls. During the 1960s, 1970s, and into the 1980s, the Kenley Players would hold cast parties at Marion's after their summer theatre performances. Today, the walls are filled with black and white photographs of the parties. Many of the photos are autographed by the celebrities. The photographs include celebrities such as Paul Lynde, Desi Arnaz, Jr., Sandy Duncan, Sally Field, McLean Stevenson, Barry Williams, Gary Sandy, Loni Anderson, Robert Goulet, Mickey Rooney, William Shatner, Tim Conway, Morgan Fairchild, Dom DeLuise, Joyce DeWitt, Billy Crystal, Bill Bixby, Karla DeVito, Rip Taylor, and George Hamilton among others. The photos serve as memorial of Marion's tradition in the Dayton area.^[5][6]

See also

• St. Louis-style pizza - similar to Marion's square-slice pizza

References

1. ^ November 2002 Dayton Business Journal article
2. ^ May 2010 Dayton Business Journal article
3. ^ January 2011 Dayton Business Journal Article
4. ^ August 2009 Dayton Business Journal article
5. ^ March 2006 Middletown Journal blog entry
6. ^ May 2008 Dayton Daily News Blog Entry

External links

• Marion's Piazza web site