Short and to the point today at “Edibles & Potables,” F&D’s slot on Sundays for straying beyond our customary coverage area, although Pizza King certainly is part and parcel of the metro foodscape.
A pizza titan, Wendell Swartz, is gone.
Swartz leaves behind a veritable thicket of Pizza Kings, one of which connects to another Indiana restaurant chain, Arni’s, which is a different business entirely. All these Pizza Kings have a design concept in common, whether or not the ingredients are being resupplied weekly by one or the other corporate commissary.
Founder of Pizza King dies, leaving behind an Indiana legacy, by Jillian Ellison (Lafayette Journal & Courier)
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Wendell Swartz, founder of Pizza King and creator of an Indiana tradition, died on Jan. 24 “after a long and colorful life of nearly 99 years,” according to his obituary.
The video embedded above is from this source.
The Story Behind An Indiana Original: Pizza King, by Barbara Brosher (Indiana Public Media)
There’s a pizza place just about every Hoosier has heard of, which is pretty remarkable considering many locations have no advertising budget. It offers a simple menu and hasn’t changed much over the years.
For Pizza King, that appears to be the recipe for success.
Speaking of success, there’s a longstanding Food & Dining Magazine connection with Pizza King, in that our founder and publisher John Carlos White is an alumnus.
“The first job I ever held was at the now-closed Eastern Blvd. location of Pizza King in Clarksville when I was 16,” John told me. “Besides a very brief stint at a Wendy’s, it was the only job I held in the restaurant industry. I still drive over to the New Albany location at least once a month to get my favorite pie – the Texas BBQ pizza with extra sauce — and well done, if you please.”
Photo credit: Four Square.
