BOSTON —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Tobins, the 31-year-old founder of a burgeoning chain of Neapolitan-style pizzerias in the Greater Boston area and Florida, sees no limits for his five-unit Upper Crust concept. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Tobins has just begun to franchise the brand, signing up the first franchisees with rights to open five units. The franchisees are looking at sites in such Boston suburbs as Sudbury, Wayland and Salem initially, he said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Over the next few months, Upper Crust expects to open new corporate stores in the Massachusetts towns of Waltham and Watertown, west of Boston, and in the city’s hip South End neighborhood. Early next year, a Harvard Square store is planned to open on Brattle Street in Cambridge. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
In addition, plans call for a shop in the Natick Center, a new high-end retail and residential development, and other sites are being explored in Boston’s Kenmore Square and Theater District. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Tobins sees great potential in taking Upper Crust, whose units range in size from 800 to 1,800 square feet, national with both franchised and company-owned stores. He founded the chain six years ago and estimates that average unit volumes are $1.1 million. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Tobins, a pre-med student in college, discovered the foodservice industry while working part time in restaurants, where he started out bussing tables and eventually moved through the ranks to server and finally to sous chef. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
CHAIN FACTS NAME: The Upper CrustHEADQUARTERS: BostonMARKET SEGMENT: pizzaMENU: pizzas, calzones, lasagna, saladsCATERING MENU: pizzas; wing platter; salads; lasagna; chicken, veal and eggplant parmigiana; deli platter; antipasto; sides include fresh fruit salad, bruschetta, spinach squares, grilled vegetables, cookie platterTOTAL NO. OF UNITS: 5AVERAGE UNIT VOLUME: $1.1 millionAVERAGE CHECK: $18-$20LEADERSHIP: Jordan Tobins, owner and founderYEAR FOUNDED: 2001 —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
After graduation, he took some time off to help a friend open a restaurant and never looked back. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
“I fell in love with the fast pace, the fact that it’s different every day, and the people,” he said. “It’s fun, and it takes a lot of energy. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
“I used to frequent a little pizza place in Williamstown, Mass., where the owners made great thin-crust pizza, originating straight from Pepe’s in New Haven [Conn.]. After convincing them to show me how it was done, I took the basic dough and sauce recipes and began to play with them until I found the exact taste I was looking for in my pizza.” —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
He said it took him about a year of “playing around with the yeast, water, the rising times, to figure out a balance that would taste great every time and yet be easy to make fresh and produce on a daily basis.” —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
His first Upper Crust unit, privately funded from savings and investors, opened in 2001 on Charles Street in Boston’s Beacon Hill, a neighborhood dating to the late 1700s that now houses an eclectic mix of Boston Brahmins, politicians, hospital workers and students. The pizzeria immediately built a loyal following, Tobins said. Beginning with just 10 specialty pizzas, Upper Crust won praise from such Beacon Hill residents as former GE executive Jack Welch, who described it in his book “Winning” as “to die for. You could faint just describing the flavor of the sauce.” —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Welch hit on the secret, Tobins said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
“The real key,” he said, “is the freshness. The fresher the sauce, the sweeter it is. There’s no need to cook the sauce and then cook it again. Use fresh ingredients and it will taste great every time.” —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
A second unit in Brookline, Mass., was opened with a loan from the Small Business Administration on the site of a former pizzeria that reportedly grossed $26,000 a month. As Upper Crust, the site’s volume went to $150,000 a month, Tobins said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
“We listened to the customers,” Tobins explained, recalling that at their request, he added whole-wheat crusts, another 20 pizzas, more salads and, eventually, catering. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Key West, Fla., where Tobins’ parents had retired, came next, followed by a buyout of the initial investors and his decision to team up with his old friends, Josh Huggard and Brendan Higgins, in 2005.The owners established “a relationship with a major bank that understands restaurants and wants to be a part of our growth,” Tobins said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
His biggest success, Tobins said, has been “surrounding myself with a really great team,” including his partners, general manager Barry Proctor and his banker. Selecting locations with high foot traffic also has been a key factor in the concept’s success to date, he said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Proctor, who signed on nearly four years ago, earlier worked in both the front- and back-of-the-house at Boston’s Grill 23, a high-end steakhouse, and other area restaurants. Huggard also had restaurant management experience, while Higgins came from a financial background. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Each Upper Crust unit features a “metal wave ceiling,” made by suspending metal pizza pie plates from above, which helps create a strong brand identity for the concept. Other decor elements include slate-topped communal and regular tables and stainless steel counter facades. Customers know they’re at The Upper Crust simply by walking in the door, Tobins said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Upper Crust offers a variety of pizzas in a small, 14-inch size for $10.95 and a large, 18-inch size for $14.95, along with 30 toppings, salads and calzones. Recently, new baked chicken, beef and vegetable lasagnas were added. They are priced at $7.95. Tobins puts the average check at $18 to $20, excluding alcoholic beverages. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
A two-and-a-half-year-old catering program accounts for 25 percent to 30 percent of total sales, Tobins said. Pizzas; lasagnas; chicken wing platters; salads; and chicken, veal and eggplant parmigiana are available on the catering menu. In Boston and Brookline, Upper Crust counts among its catering customers the Boston Celtics, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital, Tobins said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Tobins’ long-term goal is to move beyond the Boston market into Connecticut, New York, Maryland and Virginia. He said he also would like to open more units in Florida. Franchise inquiries also are coming in from the West Coast. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
“I’d love to say we could become international,” he said. “Everybody everywhere loves pizza. There are no limiting factors.” —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
As for competition, he said: “We’re not a mom-and-pop. There’s not a lot of our style of pizza out there.” —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
Operators like the Boston area’s up-and-coming, three-unit Stone Hearth Pizza fill a certain niche all their own, while longtime chains such as Uno’s are morphing into casual-dining operations, Tobins noted. With his strong management team, the possibilities are endless as the concept grows and expands “in leaps and bounds,” he said. —Some people view the world as their oyster. For Jordan Tobins, however, it’s more like a gigantic pie. And like the yeasty dough of a pizza crust, his pie is on the rise.
