Hey guys, welcome back for another episode of the Pizza Story Podcast!
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ric Gruber, the dynamic force behind Billy Bricks Pizza. Ric’s story is a powerful reminder that while family legacy might plant the seeds of a business, it takes strategy, systems, and a whole lot of grit to grow it into a multi-unit enterprise. It was awesome to connect with Ric, especially since he found the podcast through LinkedIn, which he uses as his main professional platform—mostly as an R&D hub for gathering cool ideas for his team!
You can catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/xMotGJS6YxI
The Unexpected Pivot from Law
Ric’s journey to becoming a multi-unit pizzeria operator wasn’t a straight line. The story of Billy Bricks begins 20 years ago when Ric’s step-father, Bill, took a family vacation to San Diego. He fell in love with the wood-fired pizza experience—the flavor, the aroma, and the speed—something completely different from the traditional Chicago-style pies they knew. Bill was determined to bring that concept home. When the first store opened, Ric was away playing college baseball and studying to pursue law. He worked summers and breaks in the shop, but it wasn’t on his radar as a career.
However, after practicing law and running his own creative agency for several years, Ric found himself constantly advising his father’s growing pizza business. He realized he could dedicate the same professional expertise to his family’s legacy. His big motivation?
Beyond building a successful brand, he wanted to see his dad every day. It was a trade-off that allowed him to build a career and strengthen family bonds.
The Roller Coaster of Expansion
The growth of Billy Bricks didn’t happen overnight. It took seven or eight years before they opened their second location. This slow, steady start taught them invaluable lessons before they accelerated. Ric shared a key realization for any multi-unit operator: “Having two is still manageable. At three, you start to need systems and a team… and we didn’t have those things.”
They learned the hard way that not every location is an immediate success. They had openings that were “not so hot,” requiring a three-year “sludge” to become profitable. But these challenges didn’t stop them. Today, Ric and his team are at their 20th opening. And it’s not just brick-and-mortar! They started adding mobile food trucks in 2017—right before COVID—which Ric says essentially doubles the size of their business overnight during the mobile season. It’s a logistical challenge, but a huge win for volume.
Ric’s Top Advice for Growth
I asked Ric for his best advice for a single-unit operator looking to expand. His insights were pure gold. He highly recommends using the 80-20 Rule: focus 80% on your core model, but allow a 20% adjustment for local preferences (e.g., catering to specific options or specific regional favorites). This keeps the brand consistent while serving the community.
Ric also pushes against the conventional wisdom of a small menu. Billy Bricks succeeds with a broad menu (sandwiches, salads, pasta, pizza) to cater to entire families. This ensures a “unanimous choosing” of the restaurant and helps control costs through cross-utilization of prep ingredients. Furthermore, he emphasizes that as you grow, you must have a facilities manager or system in place. This prevents downtime, avoids disasters, and takes the maintenance burden off your staff, letting them focus on the guests.
Menu Must-Haves
Speaking of the menu, Ric’s personal favorites are the Margarita pizza with sausage and their incredible Italian grinder sandwich. As for customer favorites, the top sellers show how well they cater to different cravings. Appetizers include anything with carbs and a dip (Garlic Bread, Pretzel Bites). The top salad is the Chopped Chicken Salad (a hat-tip to Portillo’s). The number one selling pizza is Build Your Own, followed by the classic Margarita and the now-famous Honey Love (they’ve been doing house-made hot honey for almost 10 years!).
Community, Legacy, and the Future
Ric’s story is deeply personal. He sees the business not as a cross he has to bear, but as an opportunity that allows him to provide for his family and give his retired parents financial security. He sees the growth of Billy Bricks as a way to create opportunities for their terrific people—a chance for employees to grow with the company, not away from it.
Looking ahead, Billy Bricks plans to continue strategic expansion (adding one new opportunity per year), adding more mobile units, and focusing on expanding their dessert line—especially the Billy Bricks Pizza and Ice Cream concept for markets like the South where ice cream is popular year-round. Ric’s final message on the longevity of the pizza business really resonated: You have to genuinely love it. It’s too difficult a business to fake.
Follow Billy Bricks on Instagram @billybrickshq
Stay updated with the latest from Billy Bricks Pizza and other amazing family-owned pizzerias across the globe by subscribing to The Pizza Story Podcast now!
Get our books: A Story About Pizza, Pietro’s Pizza, Pietro’s Pizza Toppings.