Sir, There's Only One Marco's Pizza

Technically, the 52-year-old pizzeria in Preston Royal (and, now, Plano) is called Pizza by Marco, but ever since he was a boy, my dad's called it "Marco's Pizza" -- and I've called Marco's Pizza about twice a month since I was a boy, thank you very much. So happens, though,...

By Robert Wilonsky

September 26, 2008

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Technically, the 52-year-old pizzeria in Preston Royal (and, now, Plano) is called Pizza by Marco, but ever since he was a boy, my dad's called it "Marco's Pizza" -- and I've called Marco's Pizza about twice a month since I was a boy, thank you very much. So happens, though, there's actually a 30-year-old chain called Marco's Pizza based out of Toledo, which has 170 stores in 14 states, none of them Texas. (Oklahoma's about as close as it gets.)

But today, the company's veep of new business development, Bryon Stephens, says Marco's Pizza is expanding with the expectation of reaching 500 stores within the next two years. And, yup, some of them will be a little closer to home, with the assist of a "displaced financial person" who's become a Marco's franchisee -- and "he bought the entire Dallas-Fort Worth territory." Doesn't he know there's only room enough in this town for one Marco's Pizza? Some people. --Robert Wilonsky

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