Mike Monen, center, co-owner of Community Pie, works to get orders out during the lunch-hour rush.Name: Community Pie
Owner: Michael and Taylor Monen
Location: 850 Market St.
Opened: Jan. 14
Specialty: Serves authentic Neapolitan pizza, craft beer and gelato
Staff: 60 employees
How it got started: "In college it was my dream to own a pizza joint," Michael Monen said. "I went into the restaurant business right out of college and was co-owner of Sticky Fingers. That sold in 2006 and I took a couple years off, then started Taco Mamacita with my wife. And after that we opened Urban Stack. So there have been a couple of detours along the way, but I've always wanted to have a pizza joint."
Anticipated first-year sales: $2.5 million
Authenticity: Michael Monen attended a week-long training course in San Francisco to become officially certified in Neapolitan pizza making. A world-class cook taught Monen about the history of the dish, cooking techniques -- 800 degrees for 60 to 90 seconds -- and quality ingredients. "Our flour is imported from Italy and we import all our tomatoes for our tomato sauce," Monen said. "A lot of places will use imitation of those things, but we've gone the extra mile to make it authentic."
Five-year goal: Community Pie is one of six restaurants opened or soon to open by the Monens since September 2008. "The goal for our company is to keep growing and maybe do a restaurant a year for the next four years," Monen said.. "We want to get up to 10 locations, as financially we're capable of it and when we have the right personnel."
Website: www.facebook.com/CommunityPie
Phone: 423-486-1PIE
- Compiled by Shelly Bradbury.