Abandoned building turning into new kind of pizza concept

 New Pizza Concept rehabs abandoned building, opens in Decatur this weekend.

Adam Kotter faced a weekly dilemma for his family’s traditional Pizza & Movie night.  He could buy a cheap $5 pizza that was always hot and ready but had an inconsistent-to-poor quality, or he could spend twice as much for the better pizza his family preferred.  

Most people face this price vs. quality dilemma with pizza, but few of them decide to do something about it.  Adam Kotter, on the other hand, has a history of creating successful businesses and disrupting traditional markets.  “Just because something has always been done the same way, doesn’t mean it should be,” says Kotter. “I wanted to know if it was possible to create a high-quality pizza at an affordable price.”

So, Kotter began a long journey, studying different food establishments and taking notes on what worked and what didn’t.  He knew right off he wanted to provide excellent customer service, using Chick-Fil-A as the high-water mark in the quick-serve industry.  The big question was the pizza.  How could he make and consistently create a high-quality pizza that was always ready and affordable?

Kotter turned to Certified Master Chef Derin Moore and his team at Performance Food Group (PFG).  Using his decades of experience and the parameters set by Kotter, Chef Derin spent weeks experimenting until he found the ideal flavor profile and price point.  Derin and Kotter arrived at a proprietary blend of cheeses, a custom sauce, and a unique dough recipe. Kotter was thrilled to learn that he could indeed use high-quality ingredients to create a delicious pizza for $5.

The subsequent taste testings proved to Kotter that he had a winner.  The next hurdle was creating an efficient backend.  Kotter used his decades of computer experience to design an “old school” pizzeria packed with the latest technology.  “These computer systems are the key to controlling costs and guaranteeing that we can consistently deliver a high-end pizza at a great price.”

The winner in the end is the customer. “I’m a local family man,” says Kotter. “I know the challenges of feeding five kids and their friends. For those days when my wife and I are tired and just want something good, easy, and inexpensive for dinner, this is the perfect answer.”

Ready to go Pizza is opening its first of many locations this Friday, June 13th, at 4001 Glenwood Road in Decatur.  Everyone is invited to the grand opening party. As Kotter says, “Come try the pizza that will forever change how you view quick-serve pizza.  Come on in or simply use our drive thru.”