Pizza Today - March 2016 - 102

service meeting before each shift," Hall
says. "We have tons of staff training and
information about the new menu."
Randall adds POP's training attracts
some hard-to-find kitchen talent.
Sourcing produce locally, POP's

"We focus every day on
putting out the best that we
can put out on a consistent
basis. We work damn hard at
it every day."
- co-owner, John Hall
(shown above)

"We don't sell wings. We don't sell a
lot of those other things. We do pizza,
meatballs and salads. So we want to put
that in the forefront as you are walking
by or (walking in), the first thing you
see is the dough room, so it really drives
that point home."
Hall's philosophy reverberates through
to his crew. "We are not worried about
anyone else around us or what's cool or
what's the trend," Hall says. "We focus
every day on putting out the best that
we can put out on a consistent basis. We
work damn hard at it every day."
A lot of labor goes into POP's menu,
says Randall Norman, general manager
at the Avondale location. Everything
is made from scratch, including fresh
mozzarella and ricotta. "We peel like
5,000 cherry tomatoes every day," he
adds.
The POP team takes great care in the
products they serve. "We have a pre1 0 2 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / M A R C H 2 0 1 6

menu rotates seasonally with additional
pizza, app and salad specials. During
Pizza Today's visit, POP featured a
Roasted Beets salad with spicy arugula,
pecan granola, marinated red and gold
beets, orange-chive crème fraiche and
cranberries.
The special pizza that day was topped
with spicy marinara, Pecorino Romano,
red onions, mushrooms, pepperoni and
mozzarella and finished with arugula
and toasted bread crumbs.
Up to 50 percent of the 350 to 400
pies ordered each day are the Swine Pie,
featuring house-made pork sausage,
pepperoni, bacon and mozzarella on a
tomato base.
The Italian pizza is gaining ground,
Norman says. "The Italian came about
by using the by-product from other
things we do," he says. "We make our
own meatballs in house. We sear them
off and we cook them in marinara
sauce. And at the end of the night we
have the sauce that we call 'meat sauce'
so I decided to put that on a base of a
pie with meatballs and our homemade
ricotta. It's a pizza representation of a
lasagna."
Basil is offered on every pie. POP
puts basil on the side for to-go orders
to prevent wilting. "It's that little extra
touch that works for us," social media
and catering coordinator Rachel Wallace
says. She actively posts mouth-watering
food shots on social media daily.
"I'm always on social media if
someone comments, someone asks a
question or someone has a problem,"
she says. That includes review sites, with
which the pizzeria runs promotions.
"We want you to write a review," she
adds, good or bad.

The pizzeria leases its space from

a neighboring brewery, which provides
the restaurant with the opportunity to
sell local beer, though it also provides
some challenges. In accordance with
state regulations, POP sells only beer
brewed and wine produced on premise,
Wallace says. No other beer or liquor is
sold at the pizzeria.
POP gets creative by offering beer
cocktails, like the Beer-Mosa which
combines Avondale Brewery's Miss
Fancy's Tripel ale with fresh orange juice.
Without the alcohol limitation, the
Tuscaloosa store stocks a full bar. It also
has even more front-of-house square
footage and all three ovens are frontfacing.
Having a core team that Hall trusts
to run the Avondale store has been vital
as POP transitions into a new store
and new city. "One of the challenges in
coming to a new market is really trying
to establish the same feel that you did
in the original store and really making
a footprint in the community and the
neighborhood," Hall says, adding that
it's about letting people know the POP
story.
Moving forward, Hall says, he's
trying not to get ahead himself.
"The goal is to get this one running
smoothly. With the time that we
opened, we missed football season,"
Halls say of its new location nestled
near the University of Alabama.
"In some regards it might have been a
blessing in disguise. It's allowed us to
get our legs under ourselves and work
out the kinks and then we will be ready
for next year's football season."
With both locations, Hall says, they
continue to concentrate on the POP
concept and its brand. "We are there for
the neighborhood," he says. "We are a
neighborhood pizzeria." n
DENISE GREER

Pizza Today.

is associate editor of


http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - March 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - March 2016

Pizza Today - March 2016
Commentary
Contents
Contributors
Expo Spotlight
Interact
Conversation
Man on the Street
Respecting the Craft
Trending Recipes
Destinations
Dough Doctor
The Power of Signage
Common Customer Complaints
Pagers vs. Texts
Non-Traditional Sauces
Hot Topping: Mushrooms
Burrata
Baked Pasta
Online Ordering
Team Meeting Game Plan
Drug Testing
Opening a Second Location
Beer Clubs
Thriving in a Limited Market
Mobile Pizza Kitchens
Insider’s Guide to Pizza Expo
Pizza Today on the Road: Spacca Napoli, Chicago, Il
Pizza Today on the Road: Post Office Pies, Birmingham, Al
Pizza Today on the Road: Slice Pizza & Brewhouse, Birmingham, Al
Preferred Supplier
Expo Showcase
Pizza Today Yellow Pages
The Marketplace
Reader’s Resource
Snapped
Pizza Today - March 2016 - CT1
Pizza Today - March 2016 - CT2
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Pizza Today - March 2016
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Cover2
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Commentary
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 4
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 5
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Contents
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 7
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 8
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 9
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Contributors
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 11
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 13
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Interact
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 15
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Conversation
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 17
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Man on the Street
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 19
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Respecting the Craft
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 21
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Trending Recipes
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 23
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Destinations
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 25
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Dough Doctor
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 27
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 28
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 29
Pizza Today - March 2016 - The Power of Signage
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 31
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 32
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 33
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Common Customer Complaints
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 35
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 36
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 37
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Pagers vs. Texts
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 39
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 40
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 41
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Non-Traditional Sauces
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 43
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 44
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 45
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Hot Topping: Mushrooms
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 47
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 48
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 49
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Burrata
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 51
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 52
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 53
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Baked Pasta
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 55
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 56
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 57
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Online Ordering
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 59
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 60
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 61
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Team Meeting Game Plan
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 63
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 64
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 65
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Drug Testing
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 67
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 68
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 69
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Opening a Second Location
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 71
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 72
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 73
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Beer Clubs
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 75
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 76
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 77
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Thriving in a Limited Market
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 79
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 80
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 81
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Mobile Pizza Kitchens
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 83
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 84
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 85
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Insider’s Guide to Pizza Expo
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 87
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 88
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 89
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Pizza Today on the Road: Spacca Napoli, Chicago, Il
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 91
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 92
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 93
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 94
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 95
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 96
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 97
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 98
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 99
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Pizza Today on the Road: Post Office Pies, Birmingham, Al
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 101
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 102
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 103
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Pizza Today on the Road: Slice Pizza & Brewhouse, Birmingham, Al
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 105
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 106
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 107
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Preferred Supplier
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 109
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 110
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 111
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 112
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 113
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 114
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 115
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 116
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 117
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 118
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 119
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 120
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 121
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 122
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 123
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 124
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 125
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 126
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 127
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 128
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 129
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Expo Showcase
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 131
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 132
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 133
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 134
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 135
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Pizza Today Yellow Pages
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 137
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 138
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 139
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 140
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 141
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 142
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 143
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 144
Pizza Today - March 2016 - The Marketplace
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 146
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 147
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 148
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 149
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 150
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 151
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 152
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 153
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 154
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 155
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 156
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 157
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 158
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 159
Pizza Today - March 2016 - 160
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Reader’s Resource
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Snapped
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Cover3
Pizza Today - March 2016 - Cover4
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