LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — New York, Detroit, Chicago.
When it comes to the biggest names in the pizza game, Lexington really hasn't been a part of the conversation.
However, Big City Pizza has spent the better part of a decade working to provide quality pizza across the Bluegrass.
“In 2014, we decided we wanted to open up our own pizza shop. Came up with the concept and the recipes," Big City Pizza co-owner Brooke Hunt said.
“My husband has loved pizza since he was 16. He’s been in the pizza business forever. It’s what he knew and what he loves. He still will drive to Chicago just for pizza.”
Big City pays homage to the Windy City, offering a Chicago stuffed pizza and a tavern style pie, along with the classic New York style thin crust.
Not matter the style, this pizzeria prides itself on high quality, fresh ingredients.
“We make all of our dough homemade. Every day in the store we make our own sauce. We make our own vegetables," Hunt said
"We only buy the best products that we can. If we wouldn’t eat it. We wouldn’t put it on our menu.”
In just under ten years, the Big City Pizza team has come a long way in expanding their business.
The first location opened in Nicholasville in 2014, which quickly turned into a second spot on Lexington's Chinoe Road in 2016.
Then, ironically, in 2020 the expansion really kicked up.
Big City opened it's third store in Richmond shortly before the pandemic started.
From then to now, four more Big City Pizza's have opened their doors.
Lexington-Hamburg, Danville, Somerset and Mt. Sterling.
Quick, consistent growth like this is something Hunt and the other owners attribute to how close they are in their every day lives.
“We’re really close with our management team, our owners. We’re best friends so we spend all of our time together so it’s easy to communicate with them and to know what our goals are and continue to build on that," Hunt said.
It's a sense of family.
Something Hunt hopes comes off to customers that come in for a slice.
“We definitely want to put off a family atmosphere where you feel at home," Hunt said.
"You feel like you can stay and play the games we have in the stores. We want a more at home feeling.”
That vibe ties into an importance in community engagement.
Hunt and the rest of the Big City Pizza family see giving back as their half of the full circle, helping the customers that have supported them since they first opened.
“I think it’s extremely important to help sponsor sports teams or help sponsor somebody whose house burnt down. To be a part of the community, you have to help and I think if we help people, it comes back to us as well," Hunt said.
Here's a list of all of Big City Pizza's locations:
1560 Hustonville Rd, Danville
531 E Main St, Mt. Sterling
1060 Chinoe Rd, Lexington
2312 Sir Barton Way, Lexington
114 Williams Rd, Nicholasville
1105A Kim Kent Dr, Richmond
311 E Mt Vernon St, Somerset
If you want to learn more, click here.
