View source for Glass Nickel Pizza

'''Glass Nickel Pizza Co.''' has been serving pizza to Madison since November 1997<ref name="ct-1997-11-08-p41">(1997, November 8). Cheap Eats news: Glass Nickel Pizza Company opens. ''The Capital Times''. p. 41. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/522191880/ 522191880].</ref>. It was founded by [[Brian Glassel]] and [[Tim Nicholson]], and the name is a combination of their last names<ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3">Kalk Derby, S. (2024, January 14). "'Quite a project' for Glass Nickel." ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. A3–A4. Newspapers.com images [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1031340937/ 1031340937], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1031340962/ 1031340962].</ref>. All of its restaurants are in Wisconsin and are owned and run by former employees<ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3" />.

==History==
Glassel and Nicholson met while working at [[Pizza Extreme]]. Glassel had owned Royal Pizza in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before moving to Madison about 1996. Between them they had worked in 25 pizza places<ref name="ct-1997-11-08-p41" />.

They opened on Tuesday, November 4, 1997, at [[2049 Atwood Avenue|2049 Atwood Ave.]], for takeout and delivery only<ref name="ct-1997-11-08-p41" />. They had been turned down for several other spaces; the developer Joe Krupp "was the only person who would agree to lease to a startup local pizza place at the time"<ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3" />. In August 1999 readers of ''Isthmus'' voted it the best pizza and the best delivery in Madison. It then had 36 workers<ref name="wsj-1999-08-26-p61">Kalk, S. (1999, August 26). Sal's listed for sale; Glass Nickel expands to west side. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 61. Newspapers.com images [https://www.newspapers.com/image/402056959/ 402056959], [https://www.newspapers.com/image/522664495/ 522664495].</ref>.

A second store, on the west side at Whitney Way and University Avenue, was due to open on October 1, 1999. It was owned by Tim Archer and Neil Spath, who had both worked at Glass Nickel since it opened. "Franchises are not awarded to strangers", Glassel said<ref name="wsj-1999-08-26-p61" />. A store in Fitchburg was open by July 2001<ref name="wsj-2001-07-05-p3">(2001, July 5). Attempted armed robbery at Glass Nickel, 3191 Muir Field Rd. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 3. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/407417144/ 407417144].</ref>. The company dates its Sun Prairie restaurant to 2004<ref name="web-gnp-sun-prairie">[https://www.glassnickelpizza.com/location/sun-prairie/ Glass Nickel Pizza Co. location page: Sun Prairie.] ''glassnickelpizza.com''. Retrieved September 28, 2026.</ref>.

The original store moved a mile east to [[2916 Atwood Avenue|2916 Atwood Ave.]] in 2001, at first for carryout and delivery only<ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3" />. A dining room with a waiter and two bars opened there about September 2002, in what had been a saloon "for as long as anyone can remember"<ref name="wsj-2002-10-14-p23">Martell, C. (2002, October 14). "Glass Nickel opens sit-down pizza place." ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 23. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/407656609/ 407656609].</ref>. In January 2024 the restaurant expanded into the former laundromat next door; the building is also the headquarters for the nine franchises<ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3" />.

The downtown Sun Prairie restaurant, at 101 W. Main St., was destroyed in the gas explosion of July 10, 2018<ref name="wsj-2018-07-11-pA1">(2018, July 11). Sun Prairie gas explosion: fire engulfs The Barr House and Glass Nickel. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. A1. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/461399821/ 461399821].</ref>. It reopened in a temporary location at 815 W. Main St.<ref name="wsj-2019-08-25-pA5">(2019, August 25). Glass Nickel Pizza advertisement listing 815 W. Main St., Sun Prairie. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. A5. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/597079708/ 597079708].</ref> and is now at 410 E. Main St.<ref name="web-gnp-sun-prairie" />

In August 2026 the west side store announced that it would move to Allen Boulevard in Middleton, probably in 2027, because its building is part of an apartment redevelopment<ref name="wsj-2026-08-21-pA1">(2026, August 21). "Not moving far." ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. A1, A5.</ref>.

==Pizza==
* At the opening there were 30 toppings and five specialty pizzas, among them the Feta-licious (spinach, red onion, tomato, mushroom, feta and three other cheeses) and La Fiesta (salsa and refried bean sauce with red peppers, corn, bacon, red onions and cheddar). The dough was made in the store, with a new variety tried each week<ref name="ct-1997-11-08-p41" />.
* By 2002 there were more than 40 toppings. The reviewer described the crust as "middling thick, not a meager wafer nor a doughy sponge"<ref name="wsj-2002-10-14-p23" />.
* The Fetalicious was still "one of the franchise's most popular pies" in 2016. The cheese is a house blend: mostly mozzarella, a little provolone and less cheddar<ref name="ct-2016-07-06-p32">Christians, L. (2016, July 6). "The new Phoenix pizza celebrates west side Glass Nickel's rise from the fire." ''The Capital Times''. p. 32. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/521037659/ 521037659].</ref>.
* The Phoenix (chipotle alfredo sauce, blackened chicken, roasted red peppers, banana peppers and roasted garlic) was created by co-owner Katie Bracey for the reopening of the west side store after its fire<ref name="ct-2016-07-06-p32" />.

==Trivia==
* The partners had written down 900 possible names when a relative, Glassel's aunt, suggested Glass Nickel<ref name="ct-1997-11-08-p41" /><ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3" />.
* In August 1999 Glass Nickel took over the former Rozino's pizza truck, which sold pizza on Langdon Street late at night. An employee owned the truck and bought the pizza from Glass Nickel to resell<ref name="wsj-1999-08-26-p61" />.
* The basement bar at 2916 Atwood Ave. was called the Dime Store<ref name="wsj-2002-10-14-p23" />.
* A fire on February 12, 2016, did about half a million dollars of damage to the west side store. It was probably started by greasy kitchen rags in a dryer. The store reopened on June 1, 2016<ref name="ct-2016-07-06-p32" />.
* There was an attempted armed robbery at the Fitchburg store on July 3, 2001<ref name="wsj-2001-07-05-p3" />.
* Three days after opening in 1997, the founders hired their first employee, who in 2024 was one of the two general managers of the east side restaurant<ref name="wsj-2024-01-14-pA3" />.

==Locations==
In the Madison area:
* [[2916 Atwood Avenue|2916 Atwood Ave]] (since 2001; licensed in May 2026<ref name="wsj-2026-05-26-pB9">(2026, May 26). City of Madison licence list, May 2026. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. B9.</ref>).
* [[5003 University Avenue|5003 University Ave]] (since 1999<ref name="wsj-1999-08-26-p61" />).
* 3191 Muir Field Rd., Fitchburg (open by July 2001<ref name="wsj-2001-07-05-p3" />; the company gives 2001 as its start<ref name="web-gnp-fitchburg">[https://www.glassnickelpizza.com/location/fitchburg/ Glass Nickel Pizza Co. location page: Fitchburg.] ''glassnickelpizza.com''. Retrieved September 28, 2026.</ref>).
* 410 E. Main St., Sun Prairie<ref name="web-gnp-sun-prairie" />.

In September 2026 the company's website also listed restaurants in Appleton, Brookfield, Green Bay, Neenah-Menasha, Waukesha and Rib Mountain (Wausau).

===Former Locations===
* [[2049 Atwood Avenue|2049 Atwood Ave.]] (November 4, 1997, to 2001).
* 101 W. Main St., Sun Prairie (to July 10, 2018). A plan announced in January 2000 had been for a store at 1260 W. Main St.<ref name="wsj-2000-01-19-p47">(2000, January 19). Sun Prairie News: Glass Nickel plans a Sun Prairie store. ''Wisconsin State Journal''. p. 47. Newspapers.com image [https://www.newspapers.com/image/397352946/ 397352946].</ref>
* 815 W. Main St., Sun Prairie (temporary; open in August 2019<ref name="wsj-2019-08-25-pA5" />).

==External links==
* [https://www.glassnickelpizza.com/ Glass Nickel Pizza Co. website]

==See also==
* [[Item:Q594|Glass Nickel Pizza in the Pizzapedia database]]

==Notes==
<references />

[[Category:Chains from Madison]]
[[Category:1990s]]