MasonBuzz.com

Marion’s Piazza manager John Davis knew the restaurant would be a hit when he opened the doors for lunch and was greeted by a party of 30 hungry guests.

The Dayton-based chain celebrated the grand opening of its newest restaurant — its ninth overall — Tuesday at the corner of Tylersville and Snider roads in Mason.

The Mason opening marks the company’s first Greater Cincinnati location.

“We were real busy,” said Davis of the lunch crowd.  “Everybody said, ‘We can’t wait until you get here.’”

• Photos: Marion’s Piazza opens in Mason

The 11,000-square-foot Mason location employs about 50 people and seats 520, including 70 in an outdoor patio and 100 in a private banquet room. Carry out service is also offered.

Marion’s is one of the first developments to break ground on the 9-acre site owned by Everybody’s Farm Inc. A dermatologist office is slated for another lot, according to Jeff Eichhom of Henkle, Schueler & Associates, whose sister company, Bunnell Hill Development Co. Inc., is the project’s developer.

The chain’s success lies in its pizza, known as Dayton-style pizza, said Roger Glass, company president. The crust is thin and pies are cut in bite-size squares instead of slices, he said.

Eighty-five percent of the company’s sales are pizza; other fare includes salads, sandwiches, lasagna and spaghetti.

“We must be doing something right. We keep setting records for business every year,” said Glass. “If you come to Marion’s, you’ve got to be hungry for pizza.”

Mason proved an attractive area for expansion because it is a populous area with a solid base of industry and other development, said Glass.  Mason is also close to the company’s Dayton-based commissary, which ships out fresh dough daily.

Linda Bonnell of Loveland got hooked on Marion’s in the 1990s after her child’s basketball team played in the area.  She was at the restaurant on opening day for dinner.

“We couldn’t wait until this one opened,” she said.  “The pizza is wonderful, absolutely the best.

Restaurant hours are 10:30 a.m. -11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Marion’s is at 6176 Soundwave Blvd. and can be reached at 513-398-9998.

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: business, dayton, everybody's farm, expansion, marion's piazza, mason, opening, pizza, restaurant, roger glass

Dayton chain Marion’s Piazza will open its ninth location and first Cincinnati area location in Mason this November. The Mason location will have the same look and design as its Troy location, which opened earlier this year. Photo provided

Cincinnati-area fans of Marion’s Piazza soon won’t have far to travel to enjoy the Dayton pizza staple.

Marion’s is set to open its latest restaurant — it’s ninth overall– in mid-November at the corner of Tylersville and Snider roads in Mason, said Roger Glass, company president. The Mason opening marks the company’s first Greater Cincinnati location.

Customer demand prompted the expansion, Glass said. The 47-year-old chain opened another location – its first expansion in two decades – in Troy earlier this year.

Troy and Mason are attractive for expansion because both cities are populous areas with a solid base of industry and other development, he said. In addition, the two cities are close to the company’s Dayton-based commissary, Glass said.

“We have fresh dough shipped out every day,’’ he said. “Everything will be fresh daily.”

The 11,000-square-foot Mason location will employ about 50 people and seat about 520, including 70 in an outdoor patio and 100 in a private banquet room. Carry out service will be offered.

Marion’s is one of the first developments to break ground on the 9-acre site owned by Everybody’s Farm Inc. A dermatologist office is slated for another lot, according to Jeff Eichhom of Henkle, Schueler & Associates, whose sister company, Bunnell Hill Development Co. Inc., is the project’s developer.

Interior shot of Marion’s Piazza’s Troy location. Photo provided

Glass says the chain’s success lies in its pizza, known as Dayton-style pizza. The crust is thin and pies are cut in bite-size squares instead of slices, he said.

Eighty-five percent of the company’s sales are pizza; other fare includes salads, sandwiches, lasagna and spaghetti.

“We must be doing something right. We keep setting records for business every year,” said Glass. “If you come to Marion’s, you’ve got to be hungry for pizza.”

Marion’s, which employs 275 in the Dayton area and sells more than 1 million pizzas a year, has no plans to open additional locations in Greater Cincinnati area, Glass said.

“Probably what I will do is relax for a couple of months after opening Mason,” he said with a laugh.

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Tags: Tags: business, dayton, everybody's farm, expansion, marion's piazza, mason, opening, pizza, restaurant, roger glass

The Enquirer reports that new business development is coming to Mason.

Mason officials are considering plans on a nine-acre vacant site at the southwestern corner of Tylersville and Snider roads. A Marion’s Piazza restaurant will be on one lot and a dermatologist on another lot, according to Jeff Eichhorn of Henkle Schueler & Associates, whose sister company, Bunnell Hill Development Co. Inc., is the project’s developer.

Marion’s Piazza is a Dayton, Ohio-area restaurant chain that Eichhorn said is similar to LaRosa’s. The other lots on the site could have bank, restaurant, office and retail uses.

“This gateway is not only a gateway into the city of Mason but it’s really a gateway into … Greater Cincinnati’s northern suburbs,” Eichhorn said.

The nine-acre site is part of a roughly 40-acre section owned by Everybody’s Farm Inc. There was once a farm in Mason called Everybody’s Farm. Powel Crosley Jr. owned 385 acres on U.S. 42 and WLW radio once broadcast a farm report from the farm.

No plans have been submitted about the other 31 acres. Other possible uses include a prominent grocer, a medical office building and residential, such as town homes and upscale multi-family.

The site is divided into two different zones. A 6.4-acre section is zoned for restaurants, office, day care centers, libraries, churches and other uses. A 2.9-acre section is zoned for residential facilities and other uses.

A zoning change to business planned unit development is being sought for the entire tract. Mason City Planner Brian Lazor said a planned unit development in Mason is a custom set of zoning regulations.

“Basically, the concept kind of lays out the intended uses and then those final uses will come through the final development plan and should be similar to what’s shown on the concept,” he said.

Mason’s planning commission unanimously recommended approval Feb. 1 to Mason City Council. It will consider the project on March 28.

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Tags: Tags: business, development, everybody's farm, henkle schueler & associates, marion's piazza, mason, office space, restaurant