Toppers Spotlighted in Entrepreneur Magazine

Entrepreneur magazine featured a Q&A interview with popular Toppers franchisees, Phil and Denise Downing in their "Franchise Players" column, which spotlights different franchisees. The Downings discuss their history with Toppers, which is where they met while working as delivery drivers. The pair then worked their way up and now run four stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota as successful franchisees. They discuss tips one how to balance business and marriage. 

Franchise Players: How This Pizza Chain Power Couple Balances Business and Romance

By: Kate Taylor 

Name: Phil and Denise Downing

Franchises owned (location):  Toppers in LaCrosse, Wisc., Onalaska, Wisc.,  Mankato, Minn., and Winona, Minn.

How long have you owned the franchise? 

We opened our first location in LaCrosse, Wisc., in February 2002.

Why franchising?   

We both worked for corporate stores and saw their success. We had an opportunity to franchise and start as one of the first franchisees at Toppers and we went for it.  

What were you doing before you became a franchise owner?  

Phil started with Toppers in Stevens Point, Wisc., as a delivery driver in 1997. I [Denise] started with Toppers as a delivery driver in Whitewater Wis. in 1996. In 1999, we met because Phil got transferred to be the assistant manager of the Whitewater location while I was working there. We both worked our way up in the company. Just before Toppers began franchising, Phil was a general manager of the Madison Wis. store and I was doing local store marketing for the three corporate locations. 

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Toppers Featured in the Winonan

The Winonan featured Toppers in an article discusses the grand opening event of Denise and Phil Downing's newest Toppers location. The event, which occurred on January 25th, was a grand celebration for the community which included free samples, games and prizes. To ensure all members of the community could attend, Toppers provided a the "Stix Shuttle," a free limo service that picked up students from both Winona State University and St. Mary's University and bring them to the party. 

Toppers hosts Grand Opening Party
By: Leah Perri

Dreams may have finally came true: not only has Toppers Pizza opened a location in Winona, but they are also the first Toppers in the country to offer the new “Chocolate Baconstix”—a combination of three popular foods: bacon, chocolate and pizza bread. That’s right – it exists.

To celebrate their grand delicious opening in Winona, Toppers is throwing a little party for themselves and the community.

Free samples will be provided on Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 p.m. until midnight on the corner of Third and Walnut at their “Party Later-Than-Late: Grand Opening,” complete with games and prizes. Attendees will be able to sample five different types of Topperstix along with sixteen different types of dipping sauces.

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