1851

The way Bryan Atwood remembers things, his college experience at Minnesota State University-Mankato was synonymous with <a href="https://toppersfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-fans-to-franchisees-bryan-and-erin-atwood-turn-passion-for-pizza-into-a-new-business-2703905#intro" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toppers Pizza</a>.

&ldquo;We were eating it all the time. You would not go to a party in college without there being Toppers,&rdquo; said Atwood, who at the young age of 28 will be opening his first franchise in Blaine, Minnesota later this year. &ldquo;And on top of that, my first apartment was right outside of the Toppers on campus, so I really couldn&rsquo;t escape it.&rdquo;

Following his college days, Atwood went into the Army for four years of active duty, but the whole time he always knew he wanted to be in franchising. However, despite his early indoctrination into all things Toppers, it wasn&rsquo;t a slam dunk that he would join the growing pizza concept.

&ldquo;We were looking at tons of franchises, but not all of them were a good fit,&rdquo; said Atwood. &ldquo;But once we reached out to Toppers it was a night and day difference from the other companies we researched.&rdquo;

Most importantly, Atwood says the passion he saw in members of the corporate team and at franchise locations he visited sparked memories of the same thing he experienced years back in Mankato.

&ldquo;The best example of that passion was from an early interview I went to with another franchisee,&rdquo; said Atwood. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know what he looked like, and all of a sudden this guy rushed out already knowing who I was and telling me how great it was to be there. It wasn&rsquo;t the franchisee - it was just an assistant manager at the location! I thought, &lsquo;that is incredible brand loyalty and love.&rsquo;&rdquo;

According to <a href="https://topperspizza.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-fans-to-franchisees-bryan-and-erin-atwood-turn-passion-for-pizza-into-a-new-business-2703905" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Toppers Pizza</a> Director of Franchise Development Mark Cairns, Bryan and Erin have exactly the right attitude and experience to similarly flourish as Toppers franchisees.

&ldquo;Without question, having someone who has that experience with and love of the Toppers brand is really helpful in building their business,&rdquo; said Cairns. &ldquo;They know who we are. Both of them have been in business before, so they have that discipline already in place, that hard work ethic and integrity. They are really going to give all they have to the community in Blaine.&rdquo;

Bryan and Erin officially signed with Toppers in February 2017. The young entrepreneurs already have their site selected in Blaine and hope to open in December of this year or in early 2018. This comes while Toppers Pizza has established a firm presence in the state of Minnesota, with 17 locations already in operation.

The Blaine location is one of the 16-18 planned openings this year for Whitewater, Wisconsin based Toppers Pizza. With 20 openings on the horizon in 2018, including the milestone of restaurant number 100, the brand continues to put pressure on the big national pizza chains. In the second half of 2017, Toppers is focusing efforts on opening corporate locations in Ohio and Indiana to spark franchise growth across the Midwest.

And in Minnesota, as the Atwoods look forward to their December opening, Bryan is already starting to think about how to continue the Toppers Pizza tradition of love and passion he first experienced as a fan of the brand in college.

&ldquo;Toppers has a lot of good advertising tools to bring in applications and help us find the perfect staff,&rdquo; said Atwood. &ldquo;And we want to find people who will have a blast and love it as much as we do.&rdquo;

When Erin thinks back on her family&rsquo;s history with the brand, she knows that they made the right choice for their future.

&quot;Growing up it was a family tradition to always have pizza night on Fridays and in college that tradition continued with friends, parties, and Toppers,&rdquo; said Erin Atwood. &ldquo;We are so excited to have the opportunity to bring the Toppers culture to Blaine.&rdquo;

From Fans to Franchisees: Bryan and Erin Atwood Turn Passion for Pizza into a New Business

1851 Franchise

A love affair with Toppers Pizza that began in college comes full circle


This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

from-fans-to-franchisees-bryan-and-erin-atwood-turn-passion-for-pizza-into-a-new-business

Busy Bee Jumpers

Busy Bee Jumpers Buzzes into Franchising: Three New Franchisees Signed in First 30 Days

busy-bee-jumpers-buzzes-into-franchising-three-new-franchisees-signed-in-first-30-days

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum 

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum with Revenue Gains, Record Membership, and Strategic Expansion

fitness-premier-mid-year-growth-2025

Woodhouse Spas

image of a woodhouse spa franchise buildings exterior 

Woodhouse Spas Continues Strong Momentum With Double-Digit Growth in Q2

woodhouse-spas-q2-2025-growth-expansion

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne's Chicken Fingers-Mountain-State-Devo-June-2025

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Eyes Expansion in Mountain States

laynes-chicken-fingers-franchise-mountain-states-expansion

ServiceMaster Restore

ServiceMaster Restore Powers Into the Second Half of 2025 With Growth and Purpose-Driven Impact

ServiceMaster Restore Powers Into the Second Half of 2025 With Strong Growth and Purpose-Driven Impact

servicemaster-restore-powers-into-the-second-half-of-2025-with-strong-growth-and-purpose-driven-impact

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Coffee & Analytics graphic with photo of Nick Powills

Franchise Growth Is Messy. Lead Gen Is Uncomfortable. Let’s Fix It.

franchise-lead-generation-insights

How Franchise Brands Can Prepare for the Rise of AI-Driven Advertising

how-franchise-brands-can-prepare-for-the-rise-of-ai-driven-advertising

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Fans to Franchisees: Bryan and Erin Atwood Turn Passion for Pizza into a New Business

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS