(Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared June, 3, 2021)
By Kevin Collison
Pizza Shuttle is planning to open later this month at 1801 Baltimore in the Crossroad and its owner believes it already has a Big (12) advantage over the competition.
“You already know Pizza Shuttle if you went to Kansas State, KU and the University of Oklahoma,” said Ryan Wright, citing campus towns where the pizza chain has outlets.
“We’ve had a desire to be in the Crossroads the past couple years.”
The new pizzeria will be taking over the space formerly occupied by Art of Pizza at the corner of 18th and Baltimore. And while it will have competition from several other Crossroads pizza places, Wright is prepared.
“We do a ton of delivery, 60- to 70 percent of our business is delivery and takeout. A lot of the other places focus on the in-store experience.
“We think we’ll be able to offset that by taking down our four walls and going into the neighborhood itself.”
Pizza Shuttle also like to compete on price point, offering a 10-inch pizza with one ingredient and a drink for $6.
This will be the second Pizza Shuttle in the metro, the other being in Overland Park. Wright and his wife Traci purchased Pizza Shuttle in 2018 from its founders, John and Karen Botbyl, who started the business in Lawrence in 1984.
Wright is excited to be joining the Crossroads scene.
“It’s in the heart of Kansas City,” he said. “We’ve lived all over the country and our favorite city is Kansas City. Our brand makes sense in an urban environment.”
Hours will be Sundays through Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
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