Ankoor Patel visited Your Pie in Georgia and was immediately hooked on the concept of a not-so-typical fast casual pizza joint. So, he decided to bring it home to Charlotte. Its grand opening is July 21.
“It wasn’t just an assembly line, order your pizza, eat and leave,” Patel said. “They had a casual setting with a bar in the back of the store, and I thought of South End, where habits are changing and everyone doesn’t need high-end dining or fine dining or sit down 30 minute or hour waits.”
So he chose South End to be the location for Your Pie Charlotte, which is home to build-your-own pizza place Blaze Pizza.
“We also have all kinds of people coming through: we have young people, people that moved here that just graduated out of college or for a first job or first apartment,” he said. “We’ve got Dilworth families, Sedgefield families, and about two middle schools and elementary schools all within a mile so we can reach out to as many different demographics here. We looked all over Charlotte, and we settled on this one.”
The store will have both wine and beer options, six flavors of gelato with two rotating and personal-sized pizzas.
And not just any beer, eight craft beers on tap that, for the most part, are going to be all Charlotte beers. They will also have a few craft beers that are paired with their special craft pizza, which rolls out every three months.
One likely pairing partner is The Unknown Brewing Co.
Typically, the Your Pie franchise has a national craft beer out of Athens, Ga., to pair with the craft pizza, but Patel says that if they can’t get it here, they’ll choose something local.
The beer isn’t the only thing that’s local. Local artists Andy Rocco, thesavageway and Ink Floyd assisted in some of the wall decor.
Patel said, “I asked our franchise, ‘We know we can’t change the ovens or the cook process or the ingredient but is there anything we can do locally decor wise?’ We got permission for it and we tried to make it as local as we could.”
Rocco worked on the logo and “Order” sign in calligraphy at the front. He also did the “love &” wording on an opposite wall under Ink Floyd’s “Pizza” marquis sign and above #thesavageway’s “Hoppiness” moss art.
“Your Pie has a ‘Pizza Lovin’ Hoppiness’ tagline, so I just took that to the wall and figured it was cool looking and a little more edgy.” – Patel
The assembly line and ordering starts on the left of the store. Their $7.99 one-priced model allows customers to choose any pizza, chopped salad or customizable panini. Patrons can build their own pie and view the calorie counter information if need be, or simply choose something from the Favorites menu, created by Your Pie owners Drew and Natalie French.
“I always recommend first-timers go with a Favorite and go down the line and then once you’ve figured out how you can tweak it, add a couple things or take a couple things off, you can start building your own,” Patel said.
Once you order a favorite or build your own pie, it’s put in the oven and ready to go in three to four minutes.
Your Pie offers combos with side salads, gelato and brownies. They also have a gluten-free option with an upcharge and white and wheat dough that is all hand-tossed.
Your Pie’s decision to hand-toss and punch the dough is what Patel believes differentiates their business from other build-your-own pizza joints.
“Hand-tossing the dough keeps the crust light and airy,” Patel said. “It’s a little bit longer process, but it’s more of a traditional way when you toss it.
Your Pie: 2400 South Blvd.
Open seven days a week; 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
VIA CHARLOTTE FIVE
