Your Pie Sees Room For Three Or Four New Locations Throughout Knoxville.
As Your Pie continues to take over the South with its unique down-the-line pizza concept, the brand has now turned their attention to their next up-and-coming home—Tennessee. With one location in Murfreesboro, Tennessee already, Your Pie has plans to open four more stores in the Nashville area this fall. Up next, the brand is adding Knoxville to its growing domain.
Year after year, Knoxville consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top cities to do business in. According to CNN Money, Knoxville’s business-friendly climate is due to the city’s lack of a state income tax and ease in obtaining a business license. But for Your Pie, one of the city’s biggest draws is its network of universities, which largely accounts for one of the brand’s biggest—and most important—demographics: college students. And that’s because everything Your Pie offers—from its high-quality, hand-made pizzas and unique collection of local craft beers to its commitment to authenticity and tradition—increasingly appeals strongly to younger generations.
“Knoxville is a market we’re intrigued by. It’s a university town, and also a good family town. We do well in Athens, Clemson and Murfreesboro thanks to the high concentration of universities, and we expect the same kind of success in Knoxville,” said Ken Caldwell, the vice president of development for Your Pie. “Your Pie was founded in a college town—so growing in communities like Knoxville is in our blood. But we found that we also do very well with families, day-time lunch crowds and business groups—they’re all a big part of our business, too. Anyone looking for a quick, healthy lunch will find Your Pie appealing.”
Your Pie’s growth throughout Tennessee comes as the brand continues to make a name for itself nationwide. With 33 stores in their system right now, Your Pie has another 49 new stores in development and an additional 80 licenses that have been sold. Caldwell believes that the brand will open 20 to 30 restaurants by the end of this year alone. Earlier this year, Your Pie also boasted an 8.86 percent same-store sales increase when compared to last year—a clear indicator that the brand’s customer loyalty is only growing.
According to Caldwell, Knoxville’s market can accommodate as many as three or four new stores. Now, the brand is looking for community-drive entrepreneurs to help lead the charge.
“In the end, it’s more important that we focus on growing the right way—not growing just to grow. That starts with our franchisees—our best ambassadors are the local guys who live and breathe their community,” Caldwell said. “Our success needs to be sustainable. We firmly believe that our dedication to quality food and quality service will continue to speak for itself—making Your Pie a brand that people will want to be a part of as we continue to expand our reach across the country.”