| 1966 |
Dolly Lewis opens the first store in the back room of the New Hudson Inn in New Hudson, Michigan. She called her store the New Hudson Pizzeria; her customers encouraged her to change the name to Dolly's Pizza. |
| 1980 |
Dolly's son, Robert Lewis, joins her as partner. |
| 1982 |
Robert
opens the second location in Milford, Michigan with a new concept and name.
He calls his new store Big Louie’s Pizza. |
| 1983 |
Dolly trademarks “Pizza Pals” Two perfect pizzas for one low price. |
| 1984 |
Big Louie’s
Pizza is sold and Robert opens a Dolly’s Pizza in Denver, Colorado. |
| 1986 |
Due to the poor economic climate in Denver, that store is closed. A new Dolly’s Pizza Pals store is built in South Lyon, Michigan to take its place. |
| 1987 |
Dolly decides to move the original Dolly's Pizza from the tavern in New Hudson and try a shopping center location. The new Dolly’s Pizza is opened in Walled Lake, Michigan. Dolly debuts free delivery in 30 minutes or less or $4.00 off. |
| 1988 |
Dolly private packages Dolly’s Pizza secret spices for pizza sauce. A new Dolly’s logo is designed and is currently in use today. |
| 1989 |
Dolly’s Pizza is a smashing success in Walled Lake and store sales climb to beyond expectations. The South Lyon Dolly's business is booming. Another store opens in Canton Township. Dolly’s drops its 30 minute guarantee due to changes in the market. |
| 1990 |
2 more
locations are added in Fenton and Waterford. |
| 1994 |
Union Lake opens with exceptionally high pizza sales per week. |
| 1995 |
4 more
locations are added in Brighton, Hazel Park, Westland and Highland. Computer
ordering is implemented in the Walled Lake store and will become the standard
for each new store in the future. |
| 1996 |
Dolly’s Pizza Franchising, Inc. graduates from the back of the Walled Lake store into an official corporate office. 2 new locations are added in Eastpointe and Grand Blanc. A record breaking 200 pie hour is set in the Walled Lake store. |
| 1997 |
New locations
include: Keego Harbor, Lansing, Farmington Hills, Livonia South, Hartland,
Birch Run, Sterling Heights, Livonia North and Shelby Township. A dinner
celebration takes place to commemorate the opening of the twentieth location. |
| 1998 |
New store design debuts. Bloomfield Hills, Roseville, Dearborn and Howell open. Dolly’s forms an alliance with a purchasing agency and proceeds to negotiate a deal to guarantee quality and better prices with a national food distributor allowing for openings in other states while saving each franchisee several thousand dollars per year in food costs. Dolly’s Pizza Franchising, Incorporated purchases new corporate headquarters in White Lake, Michigan. |
| 1999 |
Wixom and Clinton Township West stores are added to the chain. Dolly’s signs on an advertising agency to assist in the development of sales per store and enhancing the image of Dolly’s Pizza. Dolly’s hires a Director of Franchise Operations. |
| 2000 |
New personnel are added for the further development of training, positive reinforcement and support programs for team members and franchisees. Clinton Township East opens. Robert visits Los Angeles to help find a location. |
| 2001 |
New Baltimore,
Macomb Township, Commerce Township and the first store in Los Angeles, California
scheduled to open. |
