Breadeaux Pisa: Iowa Time Machine August 19, 1985

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On August 19, 1985, Breadeaux Pizza officially became a chain by opening a store in Council Bluffs. Established in Corning, Iowa, in 1985, Breadeaux quickly expanded to become a staple in rural communities across the state, known for its signature French crust.

In 1984, Jim Larkin worked for the Casey’s in Corning, Iowa. When the local pizza place went out of business, he decided to start making pizza in the convenience store’s small kitchen. “We had this kitchen to make doughnuts that I was using four hours a day, and 20 hours a day, it sat empty. I decided (pizza) might be a good fit,” Larkin said. After the business boomed, Casey’s started rolling out pizzas in their stores across Iowa.

The next year, Larkin left Casey’s and started his own pizza business. Featuring a French crust, Larkin’s Breadeaux Pizza also started to draw a crowd. By 1988, the chain featured 95 locations spread across small towns in the Midwest. Rapid expansion plans allowed the chain to continue rapid growth and expand revenues. By the late 1980s, the chain ranked among the top 25 pizza chains in the United States.

Initially a carry-out pizza business, the chain started offering delivery at many locations during the early 1990s. The company thrived on a model with low startup and franchise fees, often under $100,000. Although Larkin left the company in 1992, the business he built continues to offer great pizza options in many small towns in Iowa. #Iowa #OTD #History #Pizza #Food