Glass Nickel Pizza Co. (Q594): Difference between revisions
From Madison Pizza Wiki
Created a new Item: Pizzapedia data load: create item |
Changed an Item: Madison Pizza Wiki data load: add 1 statement(s) |
||||||||||||||
| (8 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||||||||||||||
| Property / instance of | |||||||||||||||
| Property / instance of: brand / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / inception | |||||||||||||||
4 November 1997
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / inception: 4 November 1997 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / inception: 4 November 1997 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / inception: 4 November 1997 / reference | |||||||||||||||
stated in: Cheap Eats news: Glass Nickel Pizza Company opens (CT, 8 Nov 1997, p. 41) quotation: And, on Tuesday, the Glass Nickel Pizza Company threw its dough into the ring. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / locality | |||||||||||||||
| Property / locality: Madison / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / locality: Madison / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by: Brian Glassel / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by: Brian Glassel / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by: Brian Glassel / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by: Tim Nicholson / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by: Tim Nicholson / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / founded by: Tim Nicholson / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Megan Nicholson / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Megan Nicholson / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Megan Nicholson / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: January 2024
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Megan Nicholson / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Rebecca Glassel / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Rebecca Glassel / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Rebecca Glassel / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: January 2024
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / associated person: Rebecca Glassel / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / official website | |||||||||||||||
| Property / official website: https://www.glassnickelpizza.com/ / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / official website: https://www.glassnickelpizza.com/ / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / headquarters | |||||||||||||||
| Property / headquarters: Glass Nickel Pizza Co. (2916 Atwood Avenue) / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / headquarters: Glass Nickel Pizza Co. (2916 Atwood Avenue) / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
start time: January 2024
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / headquarters: Glass Nickel Pizza Co. (2916 Atwood Avenue) / reference | |||||||||||||||
stated in: 'Quite a project' for Glass Nickel (WSJ, 14 Jan 2024, p. A3–A4) quotation: will serve as the headquarters for Glass Nickel's nine franchises | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Fetalicious / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Fetalicious / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Fetalicious / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Fetalicious / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Fetalicious / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: September 2005
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Fetalicious / reference | |||||||||||||||
stated in: Glass Nickel delivers tasty slice of life (madison.com, 15 Sep 2005) quotation: the best seller is the Feta-Licious | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Cardiac Arrest / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Cardiac Arrest / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: 2009
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Cardiac Arrest / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Feta-licious / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Feta-licious / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Feta-licious / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Border-to-Border / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Border-to-Border / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Socre Bleu / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Socre Bleu / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Gobbler / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Gobbler / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: December 2004
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / signature product: Glass Nickel Gobbler / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
1
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 1 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 1 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: November 1997
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 1 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 1 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
2
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 2 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 2 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: October 1999
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 2 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 2 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 2 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
4
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 4 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 4 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: August 2009
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 4 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 4 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
9
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: 2020
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
9
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: January 2024
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
7
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: March 2010
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / reference | |||||||||||||||
stated in: WWII soldiers made pizza a Madison staple (madison.com, 28 Mar 2010) quotation: 7 Wisconsin franchises | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
9
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: January 2014
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 9 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
5
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 5 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 5 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: September 2005
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 5 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores | |||||||||||||||
7
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: September 2008
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of stores: 7 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of employees | |||||||||||||||
36
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of employees: 36 / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of employees: 36 / qualifier | |||||||||||||||
point in time: August 1999
| |||||||||||||||
| Property / number of employees: 36 / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
The name combines the founders' surnames. Stores are owned by former employees: "franchises are not awarded to strangers". | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: The name combines the founders' surnames. Stores are owned by former employees: "franchises are not awarded to strangers". / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: The name combines the founders' surnames. Stores are owned by former employees: "franchises are not awarded to strangers". / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: The name combines the founders' surnames. Stores are owned by former employees: "franchises are not awarded to strangers". / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: The name combines the founders' surnames. Stores are owned by former employees: "franchises are not awarded to strangers". / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
In 2026 the company's site lists Appleton, Brookfield, Fitchburg, Green Bay, Madison East, Madison West, Neenah-Menasha, Sun Prairie, Waukesha and Rib Mountain–Wausau. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2026 the company's site lists Appleton, Brookfield, Fitchburg, Green Bay, Madison East, Madison West, Neenah-Menasha, Sun Prairie, Waukesha and Rib Mountain–Wausau. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2026 the company's site lists Appleton, Brookfield, Fitchburg, Green Bay, Madison East, Madison West, Neenah-Menasha, Sun Prairie, Waukesha and Rib Mountain–Wausau. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
From August 1999 an employee ran a late-night pizza truck on Langdon Street, the former Rozino's truck. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: From August 1999 an employee ran a late-night pizza truck on Langdon Street, the former Rozino's truck. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: From August 1999 an employee ran a late-night pizza truck on Langdon Street, the former Rozino's truck. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
Runner-up for People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Runner-up for People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Runner-up for People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Runner-up for People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Runner-up for People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
In March 2020 delivery volume held about level; the chain stopped taking cash and set no-contact delivery rules. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In March 2020 delivery volume held about level; the chain stopped taking cash and set no-contact delivery rules. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In March 2020 delivery volume held about level; the chain stopped taking cash and set no-contact delivery rules. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
The west-side store reopened June 1, 2016, after its February fire, with a one-off "Phoenix" pizza and staff in phoenix T-shirts. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: The west-side store reopened June 1, 2016, after its February fire, with a one-off "Phoenix" pizza and staff in phoenix T-shirts. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: The west-side store reopened June 1, 2016, after its February fire, with a one-off "Phoenix" pizza and staff in phoenix T-shirts. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
In 2014 the Atwood Avenue flagship sold about 600 pizzas a day and had 16 drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. The Fetalicious won the Capital Times' best-pizza poll in November 2013 with 24% of 2,716 votes. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2014 the Atwood Avenue flagship sold about 600 pizzas a day and had 16 drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. The Fetalicious won the Capital Times' best-pizza poll in November 2013 with 24% of 2,716 votes. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2014 the Atwood Avenue flagship sold about 600 pizzas a day and had 16 drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. The Fetalicious won the Capital Times' best-pizza poll in November 2013 with 24% of 2,716 votes. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2014 the Atwood Avenue flagship sold about 600 pizzas a day and had 16 drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. The Fetalicious won the Capital Times' best-pizza poll in November 2013 with 24% of 2,716 votes. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
In 2005 Pizza Today rated the Atwood Avenue store among the busiest pizzerias in the country (20 drivers; 55–60 deliveries an hour on Super Bowl Sunday); drivers earned $4.25–$7.25 an hour plus 50 cents a run and tips. In 2008 the chain raised prices 5% rather than cut quality and added a solar water heater and LED lights. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2005 Pizza Today rated the Atwood Avenue store among the busiest pizzerias in the country (20 drivers; 55–60 deliveries an hour on Super Bowl Sunday); drivers earned $4.25–$7.25 an hour plus 50 cents a run and tips. In 2008 the chain raised prices 5% rather than cut quality and added a solar water heater and LED lights. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2005 Pizza Today rated the Atwood Avenue store among the busiest pizzerias in the country (20 drivers; 55–60 deliveries an hour on Super Bowl Sunday); drivers earned $4.25–$7.25 an hour plus 50 cents a run and tips. In 2008 the chain raised prices 5% rather than cut quality and added a solar water heater and LED lights. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2005 Pizza Today rated the Atwood Avenue store among the busiest pizzerias in the country (20 drivers; 55–60 deliveries an hour on Super Bowl Sunday); drivers earned $4.25–$7.25 an hour plus 50 cents a run and tips. In 2008 the chain raised prices 5% rather than cut quality and added a solar water heater and LED lights. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: In 2005 Pizza Today rated the Atwood Avenue store among the busiest pizzerias in the country (20 drivers; 55–60 deliveries an hour on Super Bowl Sunday); drivers earned $4.25–$7.25 an hour plus 50 cents a run and tips. In 2008 the chain raised prices 5% rather than cut quality and added a solar water heater and LED lights. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
Signature pizzas: the Feta-Licious (best seller: spinach, red onion, mushroom, feta), Cardiac Arrest (all meat), Border-to-Border, the Cheesasaurus; Nickel Nuggets of fried dough. Delivery trucks ran partly on used vegetable oil by 2009. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Signature pizzas: the Feta-Licious (best seller: spinach, red onion, mushroom, feta), Cardiac Arrest (all meat), Border-to-Border, the Cheesasaurus; Nickel Nuggets of fried dough. Delivery trucks ran partly on used vegetable oil by 2009. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Signature pizzas: the Feta-Licious (best seller: spinach, red onion, mushroom, feta), Cardiac Arrest (all meat), Border-to-Border, the Cheesasaurus; Nickel Nuggets of fried dough. Delivery trucks ran partly on used vegetable oil by 2009. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Signature pizzas: the Feta-Licious (best seller: spinach, red onion, mushroom, feta), Cardiac Arrest (all meat), Border-to-Border, the Cheesasaurus; Nickel Nuggets of fried dough. Delivery trucks ran partly on used vegetable oil by 2009. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Signature pizzas: the Feta-Licious (best seller: spinach, red onion, mushroom, feta), Cardiac Arrest (all meat), Border-to-Border, the Cheesasaurus; Nickel Nuggets of fried dough. Delivery trucks ran partly on used vegetable oil by 2009. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
Brian Glassel and Tim Nicholson met working at Pizza Extreme in the late 1990s; bankers refused them a loan ('too many pizza places'); the first shop opened in November 1997, the same week as Urban Pizza Co. and Pizza Planet; by 2004 it had moved to a larger Atwood Avenue space and added four operations, all run by former employees of the original store (State Journal, Dec. 2004). | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Brian Glassel and Tim Nicholson met working at Pizza Extreme in the late 1990s; bankers refused them a loan ('too many pizza places'); the first shop opened in November 1997, the same week as Urban Pizza Co. and Pizza Planet; by 2004 it had moved to a larger Atwood Avenue space and added four operations, all run by former employees of the original store (State Journal, Dec. 2004). / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Brian Glassel and Tim Nicholson met working at Pizza Extreme in the late 1990s; bankers refused them a loan ('too many pizza places'); the first shop opened in November 1997, the same week as Urban Pizza Co. and Pizza Planet; by 2004 it had moved to a larger Atwood Avenue space and added four operations, all run by former employees of the original store (State Journal, Dec. 2004). / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
Samara Kalk (Sept. 2000): once a favorite, a Survivor-finale order took 90 minutes; a Glass Nickel pizza truck sold slices outside Camp Randall; the East Side store cut off delivery at Park Street and 'the newer west side store doesn't venture beyond the Beltline'; a Verona store 'opens soon'. First in the State Journal readers' 2002 pizza poll; Madison Magazine Best of Madison 2004. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Samara Kalk (Sept. 2000): once a favorite, a Survivor-finale order took 90 minutes; a Glass Nickel pizza truck sold slices outside Camp Randall; the East Side store cut off delivery at Park Street and 'the newer west side store doesn't venture beyond the Beltline'; a Verona store 'opens soon'. First in the State Journal readers' 2002 pizza poll; Madison Magazine Best of Madison 2004. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Samara Kalk (Sept. 2000): once a favorite, a Survivor-finale order took 90 minutes; a Glass Nickel pizza truck sold slices outside Camp Randall; the East Side store cut off delivery at Park Street and 'the newer west side store doesn't venture beyond the Beltline'; a Verona store 'opens soon'. First in the State Journal readers' 2002 pizza poll; Madison Magazine Best of Madison 2004. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Samara Kalk (Sept. 2000): once a favorite, a Survivor-finale order took 90 minutes; a Glass Nickel pizza truck sold slices outside Camp Randall; the East Side store cut off delivery at Park Street and 'the newer west side store doesn't venture beyond the Beltline'; a Verona store 'opens soon'. First in the State Journal readers' 2002 pizza poll; Madison Magazine Best of Madison 2004. / reference | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note | |||||||||||||||
Nov. 1997: the partners wrote down 900 names before a relative suggested Glass Nickel, a play on both surnames; dough made on site; weekly specials such as Thai Chicken; strictly takeout and delivery, promising 'individual attention to each household'. Glassel had owned Royal Pizza in Scranton, Pa., until moving to Madison in 1996; the two met at Pizza Extreme. | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Nov. 1997: the partners wrote down 900 names before a relative suggested Glass Nickel, a play on both surnames; dough made on site; weekly specials such as Thai Chicken; strictly takeout and delivery, promising 'individual attention to each household'. Glassel had owned Royal Pizza in Scranton, Pa., until moving to Madison in 1996; the two met at Pizza Extreme. / rank | |||||||||||||||
Normal rank | |||||||||||||||
| Property / research note: Nov. 1997: the partners wrote down 900 names before a relative suggested Glass Nickel, a play on both surnames; dough made on site; weekly specials such as Thai Chicken; strictly takeout and delivery, promising 'individual attention to each household'. Glassel had owned Royal Pizza in Scranton, Pa., until moving to Madison in 1996; the two met at Pizza Extreme. / reference | |||||||||||||||
Latest revision as of 15:01, 24 October 2026
pizza chain founded in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1997
- Glass Nickel
- Glass Nickel Pizza
- Glass Nickel Pizza Company
- GNP
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Glass Nickel Pizza Co. |
pizza chain founded in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1997 |
|
Statements
4 November 1997
1 reference
And, on Tuesday, the Glass Nickel Pizza Company threw its dough into the ring.
January 2024
January 2024
January 2024
1 reference
will serve as the headquarters for Glass Nickel's nine franchises
September 2005
1 reference
the best seller is the Feta-Licious
1
November 1997
2
4
August 2009
9
2020
9
January 2024
7
March 2010
1 reference
7 Wisconsin franchises
9
January 2014
5
September 2005
7
September 2008
36
August 1999
The name combines the founders' surnames. Stores are owned by former employees: "franchises are not awarded to strangers".
In 2026 the company's site lists Appleton, Brookfield, Fitchburg, Green Bay, Madison East, Madison West, Neenah-Menasha, Sun Prairie, Waukesha and Rib Mountain–Wausau.
From August 1999 an employee ran a late-night pizza truck on Langdon Street, the former Rozino's truck.
Runner-up for People's Choice best pizza in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
In March 2020 delivery volume held about level; the chain stopped taking cash and set no-contact delivery rules.
The west-side store reopened June 1, 2016, after its February fire, with a one-off "Phoenix" pizza and staff in phoenix T-shirts.
In 2014 the Atwood Avenue flagship sold about 600 pizzas a day and had 16 drivers on Super Bowl Sunday. The Fetalicious won the Capital Times' best-pizza poll in November 2013 with 24% of 2,716 votes.
In 2005 Pizza Today rated the Atwood Avenue store among the busiest pizzerias in the country (20 drivers; 55–60 deliveries an hour on Super Bowl Sunday); drivers earned $4.25–$7.25 an hour plus 50 cents a run and tips. In 2008 the chain raised prices 5% rather than cut quality and added a solar water heater and LED lights.
Signature pizzas: the Feta-Licious (best seller: spinach, red onion, mushroom, feta), Cardiac Arrest (all meat), Border-to-Border, the Cheesasaurus; Nickel Nuggets of fried dough. Delivery trucks ran partly on used vegetable oil by 2009.
Brian Glassel and Tim Nicholson met working at Pizza Extreme in the late 1990s; bankers refused them a loan ('too many pizza places'); the first shop opened in November 1997, the same week as Urban Pizza Co. and Pizza Planet; by 2004 it had moved to a larger Atwood Avenue space and added four operations, all run by former employees of the original store (State Journal, Dec. 2004).
Samara Kalk (Sept. 2000): once a favorite, a Survivor-finale order took 90 minutes; a Glass Nickel pizza truck sold slices outside Camp Randall; the East Side store cut off delivery at Park Street and 'the newer west side store doesn't venture beyond the Beltline'; a Verona store 'opens soon'. First in the State Journal readers' 2002 pizza poll; Madison Magazine Best of Madison 2004.
Nov. 1997: the partners wrote down 900 names before a relative suggested Glass Nickel, a play on both surnames; dough made on site; weekly specials such as Thai Chicken; strictly takeout and delivery, promising 'individual attention to each household'. Glassel had owned Royal Pizza in Scranton, Pa., until moving to Madison in 1996; the two met at Pizza Extreme.
