LaRosa's Pizzeria facts for kids
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LaRosa's Pizzeria in Lantern Ridge, KY
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| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1954 |
| Founder | Buddy LaRosa |
| Headquarters |
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
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US
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Number of locations
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65 pizzerias (2023) |
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Area served
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Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana |
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Key people
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Donald "Buddy" LaRosa (founder, chairman emeritus) Michael LaRosa (CEO), (chairman of the board) Mark LaRosa (president, chief culinary officer) |
| Products | Pizza, pasta, other Italian-American cuisine (over 40 selections) |
| Revenue |  US$185 million (2023) |
LaRosa's Pizzeria is a popular chain of pizzerias. You can find their restaurants in neighborhoods across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Donald "Buddy" LaRosa started the company in 1954. He began with partners Richard "Muzzie" Minella, Mike Soldano, and Frank "Head" Serraino. The first name for the restaurant was Papa Gino's. Later, Buddy LaRosa bought out his partners and changed the name to LaRosa's.
How It Started
The story of LaRosa's Pizzeria began in the summer of 1953. Buddy LaRosa helped his mother and aunts sell pizza at their church festival. The pizza was a big hit! This success inspired Buddy. He decided to use money from a life insurance policy to open his own restaurant.
His first pizza place opened on Boudinot Avenue in the Westwood area of Cincinnati. It had a building and a pizza oven. The business grew steadily over the years. As of 2023, LaRosa's operates 65 pizzerias. Their total sales for that year reached $185 million.
LaRosa's is very popular in its local pizza market. It holds a 25 percent share of sales there. The company also has one of the highest sales volumes per pizzeria in the entire country. In fact, LaRosa's stores have higher average sales than many other big pizza chains in the U.S. These include Domino's, Donatos Pizza, Little Caesars, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut.
Growing the Business
LaRosa's began to expand by selling its first franchise in 1967. This new location opened in Finneytown, Ohio. After that, more franchise restaurants opened in communities around Cincinnati. Some of these places included Clifton, Hyde Park, and White Oak. By 1980, LaRosa's had grown to 25 locations.
Between 2004 and 2014, LaRosa's continued to grow. They opened more company-owned and franchise locations. These new spots were in places like Middletown, Liberty Township, Loveland, Mason, Colerain Township, and Oxford. They also expanded into Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. You can even find LaRosa's pizzas at different entertainment venues in Cincinnati. They are also served at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre.
LaRosa's expanded further into Kentucky starting in the late 2010s. Their first full-service restaurant in Lexington opened in May 2019. However, it closed in July 2023. A second Lexington location opened in December 2019. This store was only for delivery and takeout. Another location opened in nearby Nicholasville in March 2021 but closed in April 2022. The chain's first restaurant in Louisville opened in January 2023. This Louisville location closed on September 30, 2024. LaRosa's stated that sales at this location did not consistently meet their expectations.
What's on the Menu?
LaRosa's is famous for its special thin crust pizza. It features a unique thick, sweet sauce. This sauce is a secret family recipe created by the founder's Aunt Dena. The pizza is topped with provolone cheese.
Besides pizza, their menu offers many other choices. They have "hoagys" with various fillings and toppings. You can also find calzones, fresh salads, and different kinds of pastas.
Family Leadership
In 2008, the leadership of LaRosa's Pizzeria changed. The founder, Buddy LaRosa, moved into a new role. He became the Chairman Emeritus. This means he still has an important role but is not involved in daily decisions.
In the same year, Buddy's son, Michael LaRosa, became the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He took over from T.D. Hughes, who had been CEO for a long time. Another of Buddy's sons, Mark LaRosa, is the President and Chief Culinary Officer. He helps create and manage the food.
In 1999, Michael's son, Nick LaRosa, joined the company. Today, he is the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Intelligence. This means he helps plan for the company's future. Nick is the third generation of the LaRosa family to help lead the pizza chain.
See also
