Toppers Pizza to host grand opening in Minnetonka

Toppers multi-unit franchisees, Jennifer and Barry Friends, will be opening their second location to the public on Monday, July 14 at 17770 Hwy 7, in Minnetonka, Minnesota. To commemorate the occasion, the first 50 guests to arrive to the new restaurant during the grand opening event on Saturday, July 26 will win free food for a year. Fans thereafter will be rewarded with prizes and giveaways. As a reflection of the Friends’ determination to serve Toppers to more communities across Minnesota, the Minnetonka location is opening within a mere two months of their first store in Plymouth, Minnesota, and this is the second location of five they plan on opening. “We’ve had a blast serving the community of Plymouth, and our family is excited to bring our enthusiasm to the city of Minnetonka,” said Jennifer Friends. “We’re proud of our ability to provide customers with a locally-owned pizza option that serves fantastic food and delivers incredible customer service. Those that attend our grand opening celebration will quickly see that Toppers is truly a cut above the rest.” With a strong background in the foodservice and the franchising industry, including positions at Sysco, U.S. Foods, and Reinhart Foodservice, Barry Friends has always wanted to open up his own restaurant. Barry and Jennifer were impressed by how Toppers takes an unorthodox approach to pizza and livens it up with creativity and a youthful personality. Barry and Jennifer are making the Minnetonka location a family affair; they will be joined by their son-in-law Thomas Roloff as Manager and daughter Katy as Assistant Manager. Their youngest daughter Kaia will also work in the new restaurant. “The Toppers brand has gained a devoted following in Minnesota, and we hope to continue engaging our fans in a fun and delicious way with our newest opening in Minnetonka,” said Toppers Director of Franchise Development Mark P. Cairns. “The Friends are passionate about making pizza, and we’re looking forward to seeing them continue to uphold Toppers’ reputation for outstanding attention to detail and commitment to serving delicious food.” Currently, the brand boasts locations throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, Nebraska, Arkansas, Indiana and Texas. As a growth-focused franchise, Toppers plans to continue growing its presence throughout the Midwest. The brand aims to reach 500 locations by 2020, primarily through the focused support of multi-unit operators.