Toppers featured on Cincinnati.com

Recently, Toppers was featured on Cincinnati.com. The blog post mentions Toppers' Highland Heights’ Dec. 10 grand opening and the promotion of the first 50 people in line get free food for a year. It mentions the Highland Heights location is the second for the father-son trio of Fullartons, with a quote from Dave Fullarton. Below is a portion of the article and it can be read in its entirety by clicking here.
Toppers Pizza coming to Highland Heights

A new Toppers Pizza will open in Highland Heights on Dec. 10, and at their grand opening will give away free food for a year to the first 50 people in line.

It will be the second Toppers in the Greater Cincinnati area. Bob Fullarton and his sons Dave and Ricky own and operate the first location near the University of Cincinnati and this new one, which is across the street from the entrance to Northern Kentucky University at 2517 Wilson Ave.

The two locations near colleges are no coincidence: Toppers is aimed squarely at the college-age demographic, with their comfort-food choices like macaroni and cheese pizza, couches to lounge on while waiting for dinner, and pizzas like The Hangover Helper. Both locations keep college student hours, too: 10:30 a.m.-3 a.m. daily. Dave Fullarton said that the pizza crust is made with fresh dough on site.

(Read More)

Toppers Cincinnati opening featured in The NewsRecord

Toppers was recently featured in an article discussing their upcoming opening in Cincinnati. The article details all the cool reasons why Toppers is so beloved by the college demographic, from late night hours to unique menu items to "ping" pong ball dispensers! It also gives students information about the opening on Oct 2 and everything it will offer, including free food for a year for the first 50 customers in line, and the opportunity to be photographed in the Toppers mascot costume and "become a part of Toppers history! Check out a portion of the article below or read the full story here.

Toppers to award first 50 customers
By Meredith Tipton | Staff Reporter

Late night pizza, games, TV and an inviting atmosphere make for the ideal lobby of a college dorm. Thanks to Toppers Pizza, this description also applies to the lobby of a pizza restaurant coming to Clifton.

Wisconsin-based and college-oriented Toppers will open its first Ohio unit on Saturday,

Oct. 2 at 345 Calhoun St. Toppers sets itself apart from other "old, stale, boring" pizza places with its menu, as well as the events planned for its grand opening, said Brett Larrabee, director of franchise development.

Toppers' tradition at each grand opening grants the first 50 customers one year of free food from the restaurant. This has led to people lining up outside the building, sometimes camping out 48 hours in advance, Larrabee said. (Read More)

Toppers goes on-air with Fox 19, new discusses Cincinnati location

Toppers was featured in an article called “Free Food for a year at Toppers grand opening” on Fox 19’s website. The article discusses Toppers’ plan to blow up its grand opening celebration with free pizza for a year to the first 50 in line. You can check out the article here:

Free food for a year at Toppers grand opening

Wisconsin based Toppers Pizza is opening their first Ohio location with a huge celebration. The first 50 customers receive free food for a year.

In other cities, fans have reportedly waited up to 48 hours in advance for doors to open. The first 50 customers will get a coupon book with one free item per week for a year. (Read More)

Toppers goes on air with Cincinnati's WLWT

Toppers Pizza was featured on Cincinnati's WLWT News 5 Today’s weekend morning show. The segment aired on Sunday (9/26) and Cincinnati franchisees Dave and Rick Fullarton were the guests. The Fullartons brought in some delicious pizzas for the TV crew to sample, including the famous Hangover Helper, CBR, Buffalo Chicken, and of course, Topperstix! They talked about what makes Toppers different from the masses, how they cater to college students, and what they’ll be doing for their grand opening blow-out on October 2nd. This will be a great way to spread the word to Cincinnati residents about Toppers’ upcoming grand opening, and get people excited about everything they have to offer. Check out the segment by clicking on the image below.

Cincinnati Business Courier focuses on Toppers Expansion into Ohio

Toppers Pizza is laying out the red carpet for its new opening in Cincinnati on Oct. 2. The Cincinnati Business Courier recently reported on Toppers opening where the first 50 people in line will receive free pizza for a year with other giveaways and prizes to occur that day as well. Check out a portion of the story below or read the full article here:

New pizza franchise coming to Cincinnati

By Lisa Benson

Some Cincinnati entrepreneurs are bringing a new pizza chain to Cincinnati, one that promises an "eclectic" personality.

Called Toppers, the chain is based Wisconsin and counts 26 locations in four states. Locally, Bob Fullarton and his sons Dave and Rick are opening Greater Cincinnati's first Toppers on Oct. 2 at 345 Calhoun St. in University Heights. Major pizza lovers might want to participate in their planned campout, since the first 50 in line will get free food for a year. (Read More)

Cincinnati Enquirer previews Toppers' new Cincinnati location

The Cincinnati Enquirer has just posted an article about Toppers Pizza’s new opening in two weeks! Food Reporter, Polly Campbell spoke with Toppers owner, Dave Fullarton, about why he chose to bring this new pizza franchise to Cincinnati for the first time. The story comments on Toppers’ legendary grand opening celebrations and describes its unique menu. Check out a portion of the story below or read the full article here:

Topper’s Pizza to open here.

Fifty people will get free food for a year when Toppers Pizza opens at 345 Calhoun St. in University Heights on October 2. This Wisconsin-based chain, just now moving into Ohio, gives away a coupon book for one free food item a week to the first 50 people to come in. This usually leads to lines and people camping out overnight.

Then they settle into selling pizza, subs, quesadillas and more, mostly to college students. That’s their market, rather than the families that most national pizza chains are going for. They do a lot of delivery, on college student hours, from 10:30 a.m. until 3 a.m. every day. There are also seats and carry-out, but it’s not meant to be mostly dine-in. They don’t sell beer. The company’s big on social networking and maintains an irreverent image to appeal to their 18-34 year old customers. They include some important college icons in their decor: a telephone pole for stapling up notices and a ping-pong ball dispenser for playing. . . . ping pong. (Read More)

We Come Fast, No Apologies: Eclectic Pizza Franchise Expands to Tri-State Area with First Set for Cincinnati-Area

Toppers Pizza Continues Successful Emergence Outside of Wisconsin; Focuses on Maintaining Consistent Fanatical Brand Support Location-to-Location

The big pizza chains serve their purpose: Mediocre food, mediocre promises, mediocre connections. Toppers Pizza, though, a 26-unit eclectic pizza delivery franchise brand, doesn’t fit that mold. And now Toppers Pizza is going to bring the first pizza concept with personality to the Tri-State area – set to open in the Cincinnati-area in 2010 under the leadership of experienced restaurant group.

Leading Toppers expansion into the Tri-State area is a family of locally-based entrepreneurs: father Bob Fullarton and two sons, Dave (29 years old) and Rick (26).

From the get-go the Fullartons were impressed by how Toppers Pizza takes a typical pizza concept and shakes it up through their irreverent personality that’s edgy and unfiltered, characteristics created and maintained through the leadership of CEO and Founder of Toppers Pizza, Scott Gittrich.

While Papa John’s, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut are stuck in a stiff battle for the family demographic, Toppers remained hooked on being a hip, cool brand, connected to the nationally untapped 18-34 demographic. This strategy, Gittrich said, has helped Toppers sustain its growth, even in a down economy, in that there are more young, energetic consumers craving a real brand connection.

“We were blown away at the quality of the food, the unique menu and the originality that sets Toppers apart from the national pizza brands,” Dave Fullarton said. “It didn’t take much convincing to get us on board and we’re excited to bring Toppers to our community in the Tri-State area.”

Along with its ability to tap into the most influential demographic, 18-34 year olds, Toppers has made a name for itself as the innovators of unique menu items. Toppers was the first delivery brand to capture the cheesy bread marketplace with its famous Topperstix. Toppers has never shied away from innovation with its Mac ‘N Cheese; Potato Topper; Cool C-B-R (Chicken-Bacon-Ranch); The Hangover Helper; Buffalo Wings, Quesadillas, Grinders, and dozens of other menu items. Different from the competition, 70 percent of Toppers’ sales come from items not traditionally found on competitor’s menus.

“The Fullartons fit the profile of typical Toppers franchisees in that they have the drive to go over and beyond the lackadaisical efforts of the other guys,” Gittrich said noting that Toppers is expecting to grow multiple units within Ohio in the next few years.

The Fullartons will also carry on a Toppers tradition when it opens its doors to the public later this year by giving away free food for a year to the first 50 customers. This marketing method creates a fanatical madness, and rush, with Toppers’ customers waiting as long as 48 hours prior to the opening of the doors.

“Once Tri-State area residents taste our pizza and experience our brand, they won’t go back to the competition,” said Dave Fullarton, noting the freshness, uniqueness and quality of Toppers ingredients. “I’m confident Toppers Pizza will become a household name in the Tri-State area.”