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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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-owned business. The very first Cottage Inn restaurant opened way back in 1948. Today, you can find over 50 Cottage Inn Pizza places in Michigan and Ohio. They deliver tasty pizzas right to your door!
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 very close to the University of Michigan. At first, it was a coffee shop. But soon, they started serving pizza too! It was actually the first place in Ann Arbor to sell pizza.
In 1961, the Michos family bought the restaurant. Over the years, they made some changes. They even added a second floor. This extra space was used for special events and parties. Because it was so close to the university, many students and faculty often visited.
Pizza Delivery Begins
By 1978, Cottage Inn started a new company. It was called Cottage Inn Carryout & Delivery Inc. This new part of the business focused only on delivery. The very first delivery-focused store opened in Ann Arbor. It was on Packard and Hill streets.
In 1986, Cottage Inn opened its first franchise store. This means someone else could open a Cottage Inn Pizza. They would use the company's name and recipes. This first franchise was in Ypsilanti. In 2003, the company opened a new main office. It also had a big center for sending out supplies. In 2017, Cottage Inn even opened a franchise in China!
Growing with Franchises
Cottage Inn started letting other people open their own stores in 1986. This is called a franchising business model. It helps a company grow faster. In 2014, Cottage Inn announced plans to grow across the whole country.
By 2022, Cottage Inn had 44 stores that the company owned. There were also nine stores owned by independent people. Together, all these stores made about $66 million in sales that year. In 2023, a magazine called Entrepreneur listed them as a top franchise. The company says its growth comes from good training. This includes using social media and digital marketing.
Community Support
Cottage Inn Pizza likes to help its community. In 2012, they teamed up with the Michigan International Speedway. This is a big race track. Cottage Inn became the official pizza seller there. They sell pizza during NASCAR race weekends. They also sell pizza at other events, like the Faster Horses Festival.
The company also takes part in yearly community projects. One special project is giving away Thanksgiving dinners.
Delicious Food
Cottage Inn sells many kinds of food. They have Italian and Greek dishes. Of course, they are famous for their pizzas! One of their unique pizzas is the Cuban pizza. It was part of a trend of pizzas with pickles. This Cuban pizza even won an award in 2015. It was in the gourmet pizza category at the North American Pizza Show.
