Could Pizza Ranch soon make Duluth home?

Pizza Ranch. You say those two words and some people begin to start twirling in circles like a dog waiting for a treat. People absolutely love the fast growing casual pizza chain that is sweeping the nation by storm. Yet even with such aggressive plans... there has yet to be a Duluth location.

Well, that could soon be about to change. We've had a few tips recently stating that Pizza Ranch has in fact put Duluth on their expansion plans. In fact the new location is expected to open before years end.

A Pizza Ranch representative at a store location within Minnesota stated that Duluth's location is planned for the former Party America space at 1025 West Central Entrance in the Stone Ridge Shopping Center near the Miller Hill Mall. The space is tucked behind Sprint and Catherine's and has been vacant for a number of months now.

WHAT IS IT?

Well, if you're unfamiliar to the Pizza Ranch concept then let us fill you in before we spill the rest of our details.

Pizza Ranch opened the doors to their first location in Hull, Iowa in 1981. Since then the company has expanded to over 180 locations within the Midwest and West. In the Midwest it actually is the largest regional franchise pizza company around. The company is largely Christian based with a goal "to glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in."

The restaurant is well known for their wide variety of menu items including their many pizza options, chicken options, and a salad bar. During certain times of the day there also is a pizza buffet available to diners.

We've also heard the dessert pizzas are quite delicious.

Interior of a Pizza Ranch location | Rochon Corporation

NOT THE FIRST TIME

This wouldn't be the first time that Pizza Ranch has set their sights on Duluth, oh no.

About six years ago the company planned to locate within the Maple Square retail center in Duluth across from the Burning Tree Plaza. The space they were to occupy would have been most of the second floor next to Nevada Bob's Golf.

Plans for that site however never came to fruition. It was however always clear that the company still intended to open a restaurant (or a few) within the Twin Ports. The question at that point in time turned into "when?"

It might have been that first mention of a Pizza Ranch coming to Duluth that caused locals to begin petitioning for a Duluth location. If you check out the company's facebook page today you can see numerous mentions of people requesting a Duluth location in their comments feed.

MORE DETAILS TO COME

Currently we are waiting on details (mostly a confirmation) from Pizza Ranch's corporate office about the potential Duluth restaurant. Sources state that work has already begun on the utilities portion for the new Duluth restaurant and that an opening is still planned for this Winter.

You know the drill. Once we find out more details we will be sure to post them right here at CDINDULUTH. Until then, check out our other articles about all the great development occurring in the Twin Ports under our news section. Or just click here.