May 11, 2017

Georgia franchisor taps Gulch for first local pizzeria

The Athens, Georgia-based parent company of pizza restaurant Your Pie will take space in the North Gulch, marking the franchise’s initial foray into Nashville.

Of note, the franchisee is in an LLC created by Nashville-based SMS Holdings Corp., which is best known for its janitorial and maintenance work with shopping malls, hospitals and downtown partnerships. In addition, the company provides various services to the aviation industry.

The Your Pie in the North Gulch will be SMS’s first venture as a restaurant operator.

Ken Caldwell, vice president of development for Your Pie Franchising LLC, said the Your Pie will be located in the first floor of the HCA-owned tower called 1100 Charlotte and located in Capitol View.

Terms of the deal with HCA, which has Boyle Nashville handle leasing and management, are not being disclosed.

Caldwell said an early fall opening is being targeted. The company had targeted Nashville since early 2014.

“It exciting to enter the Nashville market,” he said. “We were waiting to find the right partner. And when SMS found us, we realized we had a strong franchisee with lots of experience and a track record of success.

“With the growth Nashville is seeing, we feel this is the perfect recipe for success,” Caldwell added.

Dan Rakestraw, SMS Holdings president, acquisitions and partnerships, said the company is excited to be “entering the restaurant space.”

“After researching many fast-casual pizza concepts, we were very impressed with the Your Pie quality of product and people involved in the company,” Rakestraw said, adding a late-summer opening is being eyed.

SMS has an agreement with Your Pie Franchising to open three more locations in the greater Nashville market, he said.

Rakestraw said Atlanta-based Tedrow and Associates is handling interior design of the space.

Monte Turner, owner of Green Hills-based Turner and Associates, represented SMS in the lease deal.

The Your Pie at 1100 Charlotte will be open seven days per week, Rakestraw said.

Your Pie bills itself as a “fast casual, brick-oven, customized personal pizza” restaurant. The company website notes its handcrafted pies are created using family recipes derived the Italian island of Ischia, located near Naples.

Your Pie has 42 locations in 13 states and an additional 50 locations in development. The Your Pie restaurant located within the closest geographic proximity to Nashville is in Murfreesboro. It is not operated by SMS.

 

Originally published in the Nashville Post 

By Staff Reports

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