Toppers Pizza
Toppers Pizza is a late-night pizza delivery chain based in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Its Regent Street store was open by August 2000[1], and it had two Madison stores by January 2005, at 1368 Regent St. and 7475 Mineral Point Rd.[2]
History
Scott Gittrich, a Domino's driver at the University of Illinois in 1984, opened the first Toppers in Champaign, Illinois, in 1991 and a second in Whitewater in 1993, in a closed Domino's. He made Whitewater the headquarters and began franchising in 2000, expanding into the Madison and Milwaukee markets and, in 2006, the Twin Cities. Topper's Pizza at 1368 Regent St. is first found in the Madison papers in August 2000, when a cyclist attacked on Regent Street ran to its door, and that October a driver was assaulted delivering to a dormitory[1][3]. In 2002 the Daily Cardinal recommended it for a late-night pizza — open until 3:30 a.m. every day, with taco, fajita and baked potato pizzas and the New Orleans-tinged Creole Topper[4] — and in 2003 its assistant manager, across the street from the Greenbush Bakery, said he sometimes worked alone late at night[5]. In October 2003 the company's website said Topper's "has grown to 10 stores in the last 10 years, with more than 240 employees" and would open two more within six months: its first in Minnesota and "the second within the city of Madison … expected to service the southwest side of the city"[6].
In January 2005 the chain announced a franchising drive — Janesville, Green Bay, Milwaukee and Racine-Kenosha — with a dozen stores, "including two in Madison — at 1368 Regent St. and 7475 Mineral Point Road"; "the Topper's brand and locations have been around for almost 15 years," Gittrich said[2]. That month the Daily Cardinal listed Topper's among the pizzerias delivering to campus[7]. In June 2007 a Topper's driver was punched and robbed of cash and pizza on West Dayton Street[8]; in June 2008 the Regent Street store was open until 3:30 a.m. and took three votes in a late-night survey[9]; and on September 28, 2009, a man held it up with a pair of scissors, apologizing to the clerk[10]. In 2010 the chain had 25 stores, about 700 employees and sales of $20.3 million; the stores stayed open until 3 or 4 a.m. and sent little green army men with their deliveries[11].
Pizza
- The Creole Topper, a New Orleans-tinged pizza, and taco, fajita and baked potato pizzas were on the Regent Street menu in 2002[4].
- Topperstix, the cheesy breadsticks, and the Hangover Helper pizza were signature items in 2010[11].
Locations
- 1368 Regent St. (by August 2000[1]; the opening date has not been found).
Former Locations
- 7475 Mineral Point Rd. (planned in October 2003 as the second Madison store, for the southwest side[6]; open by January 2005[2]).
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 (2000, August 17). "Hate crime charged after attack on cyclist outside Topper's Pizza." The Capital Times. p. 2. Newspapers.com image 522655231.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 (2005, January 13). "Topper's Pizza plans big franchising effort." The Capital Times. p. 37. Newspapers.com image 525981184.
- ↑ Kalk, S. (2000, October 16). "Badger player beat up pizza man, cops say." The Capital Times. p. 4. Newspapers.com image 522180979.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 McCarty, B. (2002, June 6). "Alternative dining on Regent Street." The Daily Cardinal.
- ↑ Borgstrom, M. (2003, April 28). "Armed man robs Greenbush." The Daily Cardinal.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Topper's Prepares for Growth!" toppers.com. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- ↑ Ferguson, L. (2005, January 27). "When you are in doubt, order out." The Daily Cardinal.
- ↑ (2007, June 3). "Pizza man punched, robbed of cash, pizza." madison.com.
- ↑ Hebel, R. (2008, June 28). "Favorite late-night snack shacks." madison.com.
- ↑ (2009, September 28). "Man holds up Topper's Pizza with pair of scissors." madison.com.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Burns, J. (2010, February 27). "Executive Q&A: Toppers Pizza founder Scott Gittrich on pie appeal." madison.com.
