Falbo Bros Pizzeria: Difference between revisions

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Move North Sherman Ave. and S. Park St. to Former Locations, with sources: add the North Sherman (2023) and South Park (2025) closings (2023–2026 research); earlier text kept
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'''Falbo Bros Pizzeria''' was founded in 1992 in Madison, and have since expanded to locations in Iowa and Texas.  Falbo Bros is in the minority of pizzerias in Madison offering Chicago-style deep dish and stuffed pizza<ref>Rath, J. (1993, May 1). "Falbo Bros. really delivers: Its thick-crust pizza ranks near the top." ''The Capital Times.'' 4D.</ref> in addition to a wide variety of specialty pizzas.  They also make calzones.
'''Falbo Bros Pizzeria''' was founded in 1992 in Madison, and have since expanded to locations in Iowa and Texas.  Falbo Bros is in the minority of pizzerias in Madison offering Chicago-style deep dish and stuffed pizza<ref>Rath, J. (1993, May 1). "Falbo Bros. really delivers: Its thick-crust pizza ranks near the top." ''The Capital Times.'' 4D.</ref> in addition to a wide variety of specialty pizzas.  They also make calzones.
==History==
Jason Schleip and Rob Robbins, childhood friends from Kenosha and students at the University of Wisconsin, began experimenting in early 1992 after failing to find a good late-night delivery pizza. Falbo Bros. opened on August 1, 1992, in a 550-square-foot, $500-a-month space in the 500 block of University Avenue, with used equipment and a 20-year-old oven; the name was in Robbins's family and the sauce recipe his grandmother's. Schleip bought out Robbins within a year and left business school to run the shop. The first franchise opened in Iowa City in 1997. Schleip owned the Park Street flagship until 2008; by October 2010 all eight stores in Wisconsin and Iowa were franchisee-owned, and a ninth was opening in Fort Collins, Colorado<ref name="mc-2010-10-30-moe-falbos">Moe, D. (2010, October 30). [https://madison.com/news/local/doug_moe/article_b136ce86-e475-11df-a9a8-001cc4c002e0.html "Doug Moe: Falbo's grows out of friends' need for good pizza."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. In 2014 the company counted 10 locations in Wisconsin and Iowa<ref name="mc-2014-01-31-super-bowl-pizza">Adams, B. (2014, January 31). [https://madison.com/business/article_ad32e3ce-a042-5c3a-b346-16ffa55271e9.html "Local pizza also shines on Super Bowl Sunday."] ''madison.com''.</ref>. The Mason Lounge on South Park Street had Falbo's deliver pies to its customers by 2010<ref name="ct-2010-04-22-p7">(2010, April 22). Table Talk: the Mason Lounge's delivery deal with neighbouring Falbo's. ''The Capital Times''. p. 7. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/522588430/ 522588430].</ref>.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==

Revision as of 17:12, 21 October 2026

Falbo Bros Pizzeria was founded in 1992 in Madison, and have since expanded to locations in Iowa and Texas. Falbo Bros is in the minority of pizzerias in Madison offering Chicago-style deep dish and stuffed pizza[1] in addition to a wide variety of specialty pizzas. They also make calzones.

History

Jason Schleip and Rob Robbins, childhood friends from Kenosha and students at the University of Wisconsin, began experimenting in early 1992 after failing to find a good late-night delivery pizza. Falbo Bros. opened on August 1, 1992, in a 550-square-foot, $500-a-month space in the 500 block of University Avenue, with used equipment and a 20-year-old oven; the name was in Robbins's family and the sauce recipe his grandmother's. Schleip bought out Robbins within a year and left business school to run the shop. The first franchise opened in Iowa City in 1997. Schleip owned the Park Street flagship until 2008; by October 2010 all eight stores in Wisconsin and Iowa were franchisee-owned, and a ninth was opening in Fort Collins, Colorado[2]. In 2014 the company counted 10 locations in Wisconsin and Iowa[3]. The Mason Lounge on South Park Street had Falbo's deliver pies to its customers by 2010[4].

Trivia

  • Owner Jay Schleip was among those at Camp Randall celebrating the Wisconsin Badger Football Team's win in the 1994 Rose Bowl. He had arrived in his car playing "We are the champions of the world" on the stereo, spurring the crowd into singing along[5].
  • Highlighted by the Tonight Show with Jay Leno segment "Headlines" where an ad was shown with a cartoon character saying "At Falbo's, we wash our hands after handling the sausage"[6].
  • Delivery driver pepper-sprayed along with raucous crowd during 2003 Halloween revelry[7]. The deliveryman was reportedly trying to protect his car from people trying to get into his car and take food.
  • Participated in the Black Restaurant Week Jamboree Taste along with other Black-owned restaurants to bring attention to a decline in black-owned businesses in Madison[8].
  • Falbo Bros pizza was served at Mad Dogs Sports Bar, located next door at 620 University Ave in the late 1990s/early 2000s[9].
  • A similar pizza agreement exists between the Mason Lounge and the location on Park St[10].

Locations

  • 101 River Pl., Monona. In January 2026 "a separate owner still operates a Falbo's in Monona"[11].
  • 2411 Allen Blvd., Middleton.

Former Locations

  • 1207 N Sherman Ave. (after 2009 to 2023; Dough Boy’s Pizza opened there on October 2, 2023[12]).
  • 406 S Park St. (to 2025[11]). One of a row of storefronts owned by Ben Gottlieb of University Audio[13].
  • 515 University Ave. (1992 to 1995)
  • 622 University Ave. (1995[14] to ?)
  • 3301 Parmenter St., Middleton. (2009[15]).

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ Rath, J. (1993, May 1). "Falbo Bros. really delivers: Its thick-crust pizza ranks near the top." The Capital Times. 4D.
  2. ↑ Moe, D. (2010, October 30). "Doug Moe: Falbo's grows out of friends' need for good pizza." madison.com.
  3. ↑ Adams, B. (2014, January 31). "Local pizza also shines on Super Bowl Sunday." madison.com.
  4. ↑ (2010, April 22). Table Talk: the Mason Lounge's delivery deal with neighbouring Falbo's. The Capital Times. p. 7. Newspapers.com image 522588430.
  5. ↑ Lucas, M. (1994, January 3). "Donna and Barry relish the moment." The Capital Times. 2A.
  6. ↑ Kalk, S. (1997, February 8). "Cheap Eats (Side Order)." The Capital Times. 4D.
  7. ↑ Ingersoll, B. (2003, November 5). "Pizza man says police no help with crowd." Wisconsin State Journal. A9.
  8. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2020, August 16). "Supporting black-owned businesses can be tasty." Wisconsin State Journal. E1.
  9. ↑ (1999, October 28). Ad in "Rhythm Section." The Capital Times. 43.
  10. ↑ Christians, L. (2017, June 28). "East side craft brewery to make 'big beers for everyone'." The Capital Times. 32.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Kalk Derby, S. (2026, January 16). "32 restaurants, bars and cafes that closed in the Madison area in 2025." madison.com.
  12. ↑ Kalk Derby, S. (2024, June 13). "Restaurant review: Dough Boy's pizza is remarkable, across all categories." madison.com.
  13. ↑ (2023, December 26). "South Park businesses fear that the BRT plan to eliminate street parking would destroy them." madison.com.
  14. ↑ (1995, September 1). "Classifieds." Wisconsin State Journal. C.
  15. ↑ (2009, October 22). "77 Square Dining Guide". Wisconsin State Journal. 35.
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