Crust Pizza Co. Expands to Cibolo With Local Families Who Believe in the Brand

Derek Campbell had spent years building a successful career in software sales, but something was missing. After working for other people his whole life, he decided it was time to take control of his future and build something of his own. He knew he wanted to own a business, and Crust Pizza Co. stood out not just for the food, but for the community it had built. What started as a casual “what if” conversation among friends quickly turned into a serious plan to open a restaurant together.

Nathan Robbins had a different path. He’s been self-employed for two decades, running a business selling equine products across Texas. He and his family were already big fans of Crust — especially the gluten-free options — and regularly ordered from the restaurant after church or while visiting the Campbells. The idea of investing in a place they already loved felt natural, especially with the right partners. So, during a family camping trip with their third partner, Jay Tompkins, the group made the decision to apply for a franchise.

Now, their first Crust Pizza Co. location is opening in Cibolo, with plans for two more in the works. The friends-turned-business-owners have built their lives together — coaching soccer, celebrating birthdays, vacationing as families — and now they’re building a business with the same level of trust and connection. Backed by strong support from Crust’s leadership team, they’re excited to bring a new go-to spot for pizza, community and family nights to the greater San Antonio area.

1851 Franchise spoke to Campbell and Robbins about their franchise journey and plans for the future. Here’s what they had to say. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Derek Campbell: This is going to sound a little bit weird, but I've spent my whole career building someone else's dream. I've always worked for people, and they can control things in your life that, unfortunately, sometimes don't always work out the way you want them to. I've had a very good career and have been rewarded for what I do, but I want to work for myself. I realize with a franchise, you’re not completely working for yourself, but we do own this. This is ours, and I want to build something that's mine.

I even spoke to Jay and Nathan when we were first in this process — if this didn't work out for us, meaning we didn't get the approval, I was going to find something else to build. It’s kind of my retirement plan. I know it sounds funny to say I'm starting a business to retire, but it's to retire from what I'm doing right now and then work for myself. I want to build a pizza empire. I know that sounds funny, but we joke that we want to own the San Antonio territory. I probably should have done it 15 years ago, but it is what it is. No time like the present, right?

Nathan Robbins: I’ve worked for myself for the past 20 years, so my story is a little different than Derek’s. For me, it was just seeing an opportunity. My wife and I would go to Crust after church, or we’d be over at the Campbells’ house and order it. I have to eat gluten-free, and their cauliflower crust is actually really good. I wanted to continue to go back, which isn’t always the case with gluten-free pizza.

We were spending a ton of money there. The service was great, and the quality was amazing. It was pretty easy to do the math on how many people were coming in and what I was paying per ticket for my family and me. For me, it was a place we enjoyed eating, with a product we really believed in.

I knew there was no way I could do it by myself. It’s a big process, and some parts of it aren’t in my wheelhouse. So, I kind of joked with Jay and Derek for a month or two, “Guys, we need to open a Crust.” While on a springbreak camping trip with family and friends we decided to apply.

1851: How do you guys know each other? What brought you together as partners?

Robbins: Derek was the soccer coach for our kids when they were six or seven years old. That’s how we met. It started with spring break camping trips, and now we vacation together. We’ve become really good friends, almost like family. My kids travel to see their kids in college, even if it’s eight hours away. They’ve just become like brothers and sisters, pretty close to it. And their kids know they can talk to us, and we all have their best interests at heart.

Campbell: My wife and I’s family are all in Illinois. We moved from Illinois 15 years ago, and I volunteered to be a soccer coach. Their kids were on the team, and I think it started with a simple, “Want to grab a burger after the game?” Now we travel together and we’re starting businesses together. We were just at Jay’s house the other night for his son’s birthday. This weekend, I’m hosting Nathan’s daughter’s birthday party because they wanted to swim. We celebrate birthdays, graduations, and everything else together. These guys really are our family here in Texas.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Campbell: I’m in software sales. I’ve been in networking and computers since college, and I’ve been doing software sales for 15 years. It’s a good career, but people can make decisions that affect your life, your pay and your goals, even if you’ve done a great job. I just decided I’ll keep doing that until we get these up and running, and then I’ll step away and either manage the business full-time or play a part-time role.

I have no restaurant experience. I can’t just step in and start a restaurant from scratch. I mean, I could — but I know people who’ve done that, and it’s been rough. The franchise model has a framework and guidance. They hand us the menu, they have a proven success record. So I saw it as a high investment, but with fewer barriers to entry. I wanted to start a business, and I wanted to be successful. So I picked one that already is.

Robbins: I worked as a sales rep for a major soft drink company and a food distributor for a while. Now I sell equine products, horse shavings, to high-end horse farms. I deliver myself, but I also have a trucking company with a partner, and we sell all over Texas. I’ve been doing that since 2007.

It gave me flexibility. There’s a saying: you either have time or money, but rarely both. This gave me more time with the kids. We’re not getting rich, but we go on vacations and enjoy life. We saw Crust as a way to build a portfolio and maybe focus solely on that in the next three to five years.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Robbins: One of our partners, Jay, owns another franchise — a much bigger, global one — and he probably doesn’t get the support he needs. With Crust, we’re on calls with the founders weekly or monthly. That was not what I expected.

Campbell: From Jay’s experience, it’s been rough. That other franchise is based in Australia, and he said there’s not much support. It’s more like, “Here, go figure it out.” What people need to know is that you have to do your due diligence before signing anything. Understand the kind of support you’ll get. We talked to Crust about that a lot. They just opened a corporate store near us for training and support. I text with the co-founder, Clint, every day. Everyone at Crust has been super available.

Franchising can sometimes feel like, “Thanks for your money, here’s a handbook — go open your store.” That’s not how Crust has been. Our marketing guy was here helping us set up our POS system. My preconceived notion was more restrictive. But Crust gives you some freedom and actually helps. They’re also open to learning, especially as we expand into a new city for them.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Robbins: It’s grassroots. We were drawn to the food and the quality. I eat gluten-free, and their cauliflower crust is good. We were spending a lot of money there, and it felt like something we could expand. It’s a small brand — 35 open, 40 total — and getting in early was appealing.

Campbell: Everything Nathan said, plus the community. I was president of the booster club for the high school soccer team, and Crust always supported us with spirit nights and donations. They were on our banners, and every time we went in, the service was phenomenal. We live three blocks from the Woodforest location. We take our golf cart there on Friday nights. It just made sense.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Campbell: Our franchise agreement is for three locations. One is in Cibolo, one is in Stone Oak, and we haven’t determined the third yet. But our dream has always been 10. If we can do these three well, we think there’s room for two more in this territory, and then maybe sign on for five more. I’d love to say I own every Crust in San Antonio. If that doesn’t work from a timing perspective, that’s OK — Dallas is another option, and we’ve even looked at Florida.

Robbins: It’s making us open our eyes to other ventures, too. Learning about commercial real estate — building a strip center, putting Crust in one end, renting out the rest — that kind of thing. Using Crust as a foundation to expand into something larger.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Campbell: Just make sure the people you partner with are trustworthy. We’ve known each other 15 years. You’re going to have bumps and bruises, you’re going to argue — that’s fine. But you have to be able to communicate.

Robbins: Being able to have tough conversations is key.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Robbins: Plan to spend more than you expect. Add 20 or 30 percent. Having cash flow or a good backer is key, so that if you stub your toe, you’re OK.

Campbell: Just make sure you’re well-capitalized. Whatever number they tell you, add a little more, just to be safe.

ABOUT CRUST PIZZA CO.

Crust Pizza Co. is a rapidly growing pizza franchise known for its nostalgic dine-in experience and commitment to quality ingredients. Founded in 2011, Crust Pizza Co. has expanded from a single location in The Woodlands, Texas, to 36 restaurants nationwide. The franchise offers a unique combination of fresh, high-quality pizzas, a modern yet cozy dining atmosphere, and robust franchisee support. For more information, please visit https://crustpizzaco.com/franchising/.