Godfather’s Pizza: Difference between revisions
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''' | '''Godfather's Pizza''' is a national pizza chain founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1973. It had several Madison restaurants from about 1980 into the 1990s<ref name="wiki-godfathers">(2020, December 5). "Godfather's Pizza." ''Madison Pizza Wiki''.</ref>. | ||
== | ==History== | ||
The chain's first Madison restaurant stood at 632 University Ave., at Lake Street, in a green one-story metal building put up in the fall of 1979 that a 1982 State Journal story called "the ugliest building in Mad Town"<ref name="wsj-1982-01-22-p1">Martin, C. (1982, January 22). "'Ugliest building in Mad Town' to get face lift." ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 1. Cited on an earlier version of this wiki; not re-read.</ref>. In November 1979 the Capital Times reported on the "warehouse-like" building: the developer Stephen Banaszak had bought the former gas-station corner about two years earlier for a three-story complex of apartments, shops and a restaurant, but could not finance it, and put up the prefabricated metal building instead. Students kicked dents into it and covered it with graffiti ("Trash me," "Ugly"), and the paper said it might spur city design rules for the campus area. "The building is due to open next February or March as the Godfather Pizza Place"<ref name="ct-1979-11-26-p27">Gould, W. (1979, November 26). "Makeshift pizza parlor stirs [calls for design laws] — Dented metal building may spur design laws." ''The Capital Times''. p. 27. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/519856273/ 519856273].</ref>. Godfather's was hiring assistant managers at 632 University Ave. in March 1980<ref name="wsj-1980-03-06-p31">(1980, March 6). Help-wanted: 'Full-time, part-time Assistant Managers for Godfather's Pizza ... Apply 2 to 4 p.m. daily. Godfather's Pizza, 632 University Ave.'. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 31. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/400913370/ 400913370].</ref>, and the restaurant was still licensed in May 1984, with Dolores M. Banaszak as agent<ref name="wsj-1984-05-23-p28">(1984, May 23). 1984 license applications (continued): 'Third Level Dev. of Wisc., Inc., Dolores M. Banaszak, Agent, DBA Godfather's Pizza, 632 University Avenue'; Paisan's Restaurant, Inc. (Gerald A. Meier); Tamarack Pizza, Inc. (Michael…. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 28. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/402648124/ 402648124].</ref>. A north side restaurant at 1201 N. Sherman Ave. followed in about 1981<ref name="wiki-godfathers" />. The city's 1982 license list carried both: "Third Level Dev of Wisc. Inc., 632 University Avenue, Jule E. Rahberg, Agent, DBA Godfather's Pizza" and "P.I.B., Inc., 1201 N. Sherman Avenue, Ann Ovadal, Agent, DBA Godfather's Pizza"<ref name="wsj-1982-04-29-p34">(1982, April 29). "Legal notice: applications for the sale of beer and/or liquor (City of Madison, 1982–83)." ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 34. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/404494837/ 404494837].</ref>. In May 1996 the city's license list carried Godfather's Pizza, Inc., with Denise E. Fergusson as agent, at 714 S. Gammon Rd. on the west side, the building that had been a [[Shakey’s Pizza Parlor|Shakey's]] in 1993<ref name="ct-1996-05-27-p5">(1996, May 27). City of Madison license list, May 1996. ''The Capital Times''. p. 5. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/522631770/ 522631770]. Seen in search results only; the page has not been read.</ref><ref name="wsj-1993-08-18-p93">(1993, August 18). "Good dining spots — Pizza." ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 93. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/406358045/ 406358045].</ref>. When the Gammon Road restaurant opened and closed has not yet been found. | |||
==Former Locations== | |||
* 632 University Ave., at Lake Street (about March 1980<ref name="ct-1979-11-26-p27" /><ref name="wsj-1980-03-06-p31" /> to at least May 1984<ref name="wsj-1984-05-23-p28" />). | |||
* 1201 N. Sherman Ave. (about 1981)<ref name="wiki-godfathers" />. | |||
* 714 S. Gammon Rd. (licensed in May 1996)<ref name="ct-1996-05-27-p5" />. | |||
==See also== | |||
* [[Item:Q924|Godfather's Pizza in the Madison Pizza Wiki database]] | |||
==Notes== | |||
<references /> | |||
[[Category:1980s]] | |||
[[Category:1990s]] | |||
Latest revision as of 04:00, 25 October 2026
Godfather's Pizza is a national pizza chain founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1973. It had several Madison restaurants from about 1980 into the 1990s[1].
History
The chain's first Madison restaurant stood at 632 University Ave., at Lake Street, in a green one-story metal building put up in the fall of 1979 that a 1982 State Journal story called "the ugliest building in Mad Town"[2]. In November 1979 the Capital Times reported on the "warehouse-like" building: the developer Stephen Banaszak had bought the former gas-station corner about two years earlier for a three-story complex of apartments, shops and a restaurant, but could not finance it, and put up the prefabricated metal building instead. Students kicked dents into it and covered it with graffiti ("Trash me," "Ugly"), and the paper said it might spur city design rules for the campus area. "The building is due to open next February or March as the Godfather Pizza Place"[3]. Godfather's was hiring assistant managers at 632 University Ave. in March 1980[4], and the restaurant was still licensed in May 1984, with Dolores M. Banaszak as agent[5]. A north side restaurant at 1201 N. Sherman Ave. followed in about 1981[1]. The city's 1982 license list carried both: "Third Level Dev of Wisc. Inc., 632 University Avenue, Jule E. Rahberg, Agent, DBA Godfather's Pizza" and "P.I.B., Inc., 1201 N. Sherman Avenue, Ann Ovadal, Agent, DBA Godfather's Pizza"[6]. In May 1996 the city's license list carried Godfather's Pizza, Inc., with Denise E. Fergusson as agent, at 714 S. Gammon Rd. on the west side, the building that had been a Shakey's in 1993[7][8]. When the Gammon Road restaurant opened and closed has not yet been found.
Former Locations
- 632 University Ave., at Lake Street (about March 1980[3][4] to at least May 1984[5]).
- 1201 N. Sherman Ave. (about 1981)[1].
- 714 S. Gammon Rd. (licensed in May 1996)[7].
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 (2020, December 5). "Godfather's Pizza." Madison Pizza Wiki.
- ↑ Martin, C. (1982, January 22). "'Ugliest building in Mad Town' to get face lift." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 1. Cited on an earlier version of this wiki; not re-read.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Gould, W. (1979, November 26). "Makeshift pizza parlor stirs [calls for design laws] — Dented metal building may spur design laws." The Capital Times. p. 27. Newspapers.com image 519856273.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (1980, March 6). Help-wanted: 'Full-time, part-time Assistant Managers for Godfather's Pizza ... Apply 2 to 4 p.m. daily. Godfather's Pizza, 632 University Ave.'. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 31. Newspapers.com image 400913370.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 (1984, May 23). 1984 license applications (continued): 'Third Level Dev. of Wisc., Inc., Dolores M. Banaszak, Agent, DBA Godfather's Pizza, 632 University Avenue'; Paisan's Restaurant, Inc. (Gerald A. Meier); Tamarack Pizza, Inc. (Michael…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 28. Newspapers.com image 402648124.
- ↑ (1982, April 29). "Legal notice: applications for the sale of beer and/or liquor (City of Madison, 1982–83)." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 34. Newspapers.com image 404494837.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 (1996, May 27). City of Madison license list, May 1996. The Capital Times. p. 5. Newspapers.com image 522631770. Seen in search results only; the page has not been read.
- ↑ (1993, August 18). "Good dining spots — Pizza." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 93. Newspapers.com image 406358045.
