Papa Murphy’s

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Papa Murphy's ("Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza") is a national chain that sells pizzas made to order but not baked: customers take them home and bake them in their own ovens. The chain began in Oregon in 1981[1]. It came to the Madison area in August 1999 with a store in Middleton, and by 2007 there were eight stores in Dane County.

History

  • January 1999: Papa Murphy's International advertises for a franchise consultant in the Madison area "who will supervise 20 to 25 stores"[2].
  • July 1999: help-wanted ads "for new business in Middleton" at 1015 N. Gammon Rd.[3]
  • August 4, 1999: Patti Watson opens the first store, in Middleton's Stonefield Glen shopping center. She had owned a pizza restaurant in California and joined the chain after a Papa Murphy's opened nearby. She moved here that May and planned more stores. The chain then had about 500 stores in 17 states and was based in Vancouver, Washington[4].
  • June 2000: the Sun Prairie Plan Commission approves a 2,000-square-foot store at 2099 McCoy Rd. in the Prairie Square Shopping Center. The State Journal calls Papa Murphy's "the largest take-and-bake pizza chain"[1].
  • October 2000: three stores (Middleton, Sun Prairie and 4664 Cottage Grove Rd. in Madison) give free cheese mini pizzas to children in Halloween costumes[5].
  • July 11, 2001: a store opens at 2980 Cahill Main in Fitchburg, off Fish Hatchery Road[6].
  • November 2007: a coupon page lists eight Dane County stores: Fitchburg, Cottage Grove Rd., Middleton, Monona, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona and Waunakee[7].
  • February 2010: "NOW OPEN!", 6718 Raymond Rd., next to PDQ[8]. It is still listed in March 2011[9] but gone by July 2013[10].
  • By 2020: the chain's store locator lists one Madison store, at 6030 Gemini Dr., with the old Cottage Grove Road store's phone number[11]. Fitchburg is no longer listed, and there are new stores in Oregon and DeForest[12].

Pizza

In 1999 a large 15½-inch one-topping pizza was $5.99. Customers baked it at home for 12 to 18 minutes. The menu also had stuffed pizza, calzones and garlic bread sticks, and there was no delivery[4]. The Fitchburg store opened in 2001 with a $5.99 introductory large pepperoni pizza. The Capital Times reviewer found the crust "light, more doughy than crispy" and the pizza "a three-napkin operation", and meant to try the Gourmet Chicken Garlic next[6]. Ads from 2010 feature Papa's Favorite, Papa's All Meat, the Cowboy, the Rancher, Murphy's Combo, Chicago-style Stuffed pizzas and the thin-crust Gourmet deLITE[8].

Trivia

  • The Cottage Grove Road store was at the same address, 4664 Cottage Grove Rd., as Madison's first Little Caesar's (1982–1996)[13][5].

Locations

  • 1015 N. Gammon Rd., Middleton: from August 4, 1999[4]. Listed as 1005 N. Gammon Rd., with the same phone number, in 2020[12].
  • 2099 McCoy Rd., Sun Prairie: from 2000[1][5]. Listed as 2041 McCoy Rd., with the same phone number, in 2020[12].
  • 4664 Cottage Grove Rd., Madison: by October 2000[5], still open in July 2013[10]. Apparently moved to Gemini Drive.
  • 2980 Cahill Main, Fitchburg: from July 11, 2001[6], still open in July 2013[10], gone by 2020[12].
  • 115 E. Broadway, Monona: by November 2007[7].
  • 1021 N. Edge Trail, Verona: by November 2007[7].
  • 219 S. Century Ave., Waunakee: by November 2007[7].
  • 2360A Jackson St., Stoughton: by November 2007[7].
  • 6718 Raymond Rd., Madison: early 2010[8] until 2011–2013[10].
  • 6030 Gemini Dr., Madison: by 2020[11].
  • 710 Janesville St., Oregon, and 611 S. Main St., DeForest: by 2020[12].

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 (2000, June 21). Sun Prairie Plan Commission approves a conditional use permit for Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake at 2099 McCoy Rd., Prairie Square Shopping Center: "the largest take-and-bake pizza chain, originating in Oregon in 1981"; 2,000…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 43. Newspapers.com image 407052249.
  2. ↑ (1999, January 10). Classified: Papa Murphy's International (Aurora, Colo.) seeks a franchise consultant in the Madison area "who will supervise 20 to 25 stores". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 102. Newspapers.com image 406437636.
  3. ↑ (1999, July 16). Classified: help wanted "for new business in Middleton", Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza, 1015 N. Gammon Rd., 821-0121. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 7. Newspapers.com image 403997440.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Kalk, S. (1999, November 18). Restaurant column: Patti Watson opened Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake, 1015 N. Gammon Rd. in Middleton's Stonefield Glen center, on Aug. 4; about 500 stores in 17 states; large 15½-inch one-topping $5.99; stuffed pizza, calzo…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 67. Newspapers.com image 401948603.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 (2000, October 26). Halloween listings: free cheese mini pizzas for kids in costume at Papa Murphy's stores at 1015 N. Gammon Rd., Middleton; 2099 McCoy Rd., Sun Prairie; and 4664 Cottage Grove Rd. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 72. Newspapers.com image 407015276.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bergin, M. (2001, August 10). "A large pizza for $5.99? It's no pie in the sky at take-it-and-bake-it Papa Murphy's." The Capital Times. p. 13. Newspapers.com image 522634065.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 (2007, November 26). Papa Murphy's coupon page with store list: Fitchburg 2980 Cahill Main; Madison 4664 Cottage Grove Rd.; Middleton 1015 N. Gammon Rd.; Monona 115 E. Broadway; Stoughton; Sun Prairie 2099 McCoy Rd.; Verona 1021 North Edge Tra…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 40. Newspapers.com image 407426920.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 (2010, February 10). Papa Murphy's coupon page; store list adds "NOW OPEN! Madison, 6718 Raymond Rd, next to PDQ"; Papa's Favorite, Cowboy, Rancher, Chicago-style Stuffed and Gourmet deLITE pizzas. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 53. Newspapers.com image 524136186.
  9. ↑ (2011, March 17). Papa Murphy's coupon page ("The best just got better") with the same Dane County store list, including 6718 Raymond Rd. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 50. Newspapers.com image 523096882.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 (2013, July 14). Papa Murphy's ad with store list: Fitchburg, Madison (4664 Cottage Grove Rd.), Middleton, Monona, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee; no Raymond Rd. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 51. Newspapers.com image 523131536.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Take 'N' Bake Pizza Locations in Madison, WI." papamurphys.com. Internet Archive capture of September 18, 2020: archived copy. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 "Papa Murphy's locations, Wisconsin." papamurphys.com. Internet Archive capture of September 27, 2020: archived copy. Retrieved October 29, 2026.
  13. ↑ (1983, April 13). Little Caesars coupon advertisement, two locations. The Capital Times. p. 51. Newspapers.com image 521381493.
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