Cottage Inn Pizza facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1948 |
| Headquarters | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
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Number of locations
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50+ |
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Area served
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United States (Michigan, Ohio) |
| Products |
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Cottage Inn Pizza is a pizza company that started in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It's a family-run business that delivers pizza. The very first Cottage Inn restaurant opened its doors in 1948. Today, there are more than 50 Cottage Inn stores. You can find them in the states of Michigan and Ohio.
Contents
The Story of Cottage Inn Pizza
How It All Started
The first Cottage Inn restaurant opened in 1948. It was located at 512 East William Street in Ann Arbor. This spot was close to the University of Michigan campus. At first, it was a coffee shop. Over time, they started serving pizza. It was actually the first place in Ann Arbor to offer pizza! A family called the Michos family bought the building in 1961. The owner decided to retire, so the building was listed for sale in 2023.
The restaurant was updated a few times. Changes were made in 1975, 1980, and 1993. A second floor was added to create special rooms for parties and events. Because it was so close to the university, it became a very popular place.
Pizza Delivery and Growth
By 1978, Cottage Inn created a new company. It was called Cottage Inn Carryout & Delivery Inc. This new company focused only on delivering pizza. The first store for this new delivery service opened in Ann Arbor. It was located at Packard and Hill streets.
In June 1986, the very first Cottage Inn franchise opened. This store was in Ypsilanti, Michigan. A franchise is like a branch of a business that someone else owns and runs. In 2003, the company opened its main office and a place to store and send out supplies. This new center was also in Ann Arbor. Cottage Inn even opened a franchise in China in 2017.
Becoming a Franchise Company
The first franchise was given out in 1986. In early 2014, Cottage Inn shared a plan. They wanted to grow across the country. They planned to do this by letting more people open Cottage Inn franchises.
By 2022, Cottage Inn had 44 stores that the company owned. They also had nine stores that were owned by independent franchise owners. Their total sales for that year were about $66 million. In 2023, Entrepreneur magazine put them on its "Franchise 500 List." The company believes that their training in social media and online marketing has helped them grow a lot.
Community Involvement
Cottage Inn likes to support its community. In 2012, they teamed up with the Michigan International Speedway. They became the official pizza seller for NASCAR race weekends. Cottage Inn also sells pizza at other events held at the Speedway. This includes the Faster Horses Festival.
The company also takes part in yearly community service projects. One of these is giving away Thanksgiving dinners to people in need.
What's on the Menu?
Cottage Inn sells both Italian and Greek-style food. They have a special Cuban pizza. This pizza was part of a trend of pizzas with pickles on them. It won an award in the gourmet pizza group at the 2015 North American Pizza Show.
