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Pie flies into fourth decade
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A Boise pizza landmark, the Flying Pie Pizzaria, celebrates its 30th birthday this month.
When the restaurant was first founded in 1978, original owners Dave and Connie Parker had trouble keeping the business afloat. That was until 1980, when Joe Levitch “found” and purchased Flying Pie for $1. The sum may seem small, but for that dollar Levitch purchased the restaurant as well as a sizeable debt the business had accumulated. For this reason, Levitch is the “founder” – as in finder – rather than the actual person who founded the restaurants. It was around this time that Flying Pie Pizzaria became a Boise foodservice landmark. Furthermore, in 1984, Howard Olivier began to help run Flying Pie with Levitch. In 1986 Olivier became co-owner, and in 1997 he gained full ownership of the pizzeria.
1980s
Flying Pie has always taken a progressive approach to its business services and techniques, which has lead to an established and loyal clientele. In 1983, Flying Pie started accommodating customers with home-delivery service. This progressed in 1985 when Flying Pie became the first pizza restaurant in Boise to legally deliver beer and wine to customers. Currently, customers can purchase six-packs of mixed beers with a buy five get one free deal as well as a 64 ounce Growler of any tap beer, including their Triple Pie Ale, which Sockeye Brewery brews exclusively for Flying Pie. In 1987, Flying Pie commissioned a community education class on how to make excellent pizza at home. In 1988 it became the first pizzeria in Boise to have a computerized pizza delivery program.
1990s
In 1990, Flying Pie introduced its pizza dough to supermarkets and became 100 percent non-smoking. Flying Pie received nation-wide fame in 1992, when CNN reported Flying Pie’s delivery of three large pizzas and a case of pizza dough to Walter Shane in Alaska. Then, CNN covered it again in 1995, when Flying Pie put the exclamation point on the Boise City Library sign and sold its pizza dough mix on QVC.
In 1997, Flying Pie went to the Internet and launched flyingpie.com, which is still accessible today. In 2000 the Website passed more than 100 visitors a month, and in 2001 it passed 1,000 visitors a week.
2000s
In 2002, Flying Pie began “It’s Your Day” where a patron or a new customer’s name is advertised on Flying Pie’s billboard. The customer can come in, make their own pizza and see the pizza-making process-all for free.
In 2005, Flying Pie began to track their guests on a world map. Guests can now see the distances Flying Pie patrons travel for pizza excellence.
This is also when the Double Habanero Pizza marked 12 years with no one dying from its incredible spice and flavor.
“We focus on repeatable excellence: excellent food, excellent beer, excellent service and excellent experience. That’s why people come back,” Flying Pie Imaganeer Lesley Juel said.
Mat La Rue/ Lead Culture Journalist
