Mazzio's
Encyclopedia
Mazzio's Corporation is the parent company of Mazzio's Italian Eatery and the former parent company of Zio's Italian Kitchen. In November 2007 Zio's Italian Kitchen was sold to a private company.
Mazzio's began as a pizza parlor and is located throughout Oklahoma
, Kansas
, Texas
, Iowa
, Missouri
, Arkansas
, Tennessee
, Mississippi
, Georgia
, and Illinois
. The sole Mazzio's in Louisiana
, located in Shreveport, closed in the mid-1990s. It was first founded in 1961, when a young school teacher named Ken Selby opened a restaurant named The Pizza Parlor at 3024 East 11th Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, which is still operating as a Mazzios location today. In 1965, Selby opened a second location at 15th and Sheridan in Tulsa (also still operating as Mazzios) and changed the name to Ken's Pizza. By 1975, there were more than 100 franchise locations in and around Oklahoma. Zio's Italian Kitchen is located in Colorado
, Kansas
, Oklahoma
, Missouri
, New Mexico
and Texas
.
As the founder of the Ken's Pizza chain found in and around the Tulsa, Oklahoma
area. Only franchised Ken's Pizzas remain. In August 2008, Mazzio's Corporation opened a new full service, contemporary, casual Italian concept called Oliveto Italian Bistro in Tulsa.
Four years later in 1965 Selby made pizza his full time job. He opened a second location, which exceeded the success of his first. Plus, the name changed to Ken's Pizza that solidly branded Selby's popular special recipe sauce and thin crust. By 1975, the links of his two starting stores steadily grew to a strong chain of over 100 company and franchise locations, inside and outside of Oklahoma.
In the late 70's. Selby conceived a new business approach. His idea called for more square footage of casual dining space, an expanded menu, thicker pizza served with much more meats and cheeses, sub sandwiches along with a salad bar.
That new concept was Mazzio's Pizza. In ten years, the Mazzio's chain grew to over 150 locations. Presently, the concept features 166 units in ten states.
Mazzio's began as a pizza parlor and is located throughout Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The sole Mazzio's in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, located in Shreveport, closed in the mid-1990s. It was first founded in 1961, when a young school teacher named Ken Selby opened a restaurant named The Pizza Parlor at 3024 East 11th Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, which is still operating as a Mazzios location today. In 1965, Selby opened a second location at 15th and Sheridan in Tulsa (also still operating as Mazzios) and changed the name to Ken's Pizza. By 1975, there were more than 100 franchise locations in and around Oklahoma. Zio's Italian Kitchen is located in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
As the founder of the Ken's Pizza chain found in and around the Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
area. Only franchised Ken's Pizzas remain. In August 2008, Mazzio's Corporation opened a new full service, contemporary, casual Italian concept called Oliveto Italian Bistro in Tulsa.
History
Founded in 1961 by school teacher Ken Selby, who ran his new business virtually alone and after teaching a full day as well.Four years later in 1965 Selby made pizza his full time job. He opened a second location, which exceeded the success of his first. Plus, the name changed to Ken's Pizza that solidly branded Selby's popular special recipe sauce and thin crust. By 1975, the links of his two starting stores steadily grew to a strong chain of over 100 company and franchise locations, inside and outside of Oklahoma.
In the late 70's. Selby conceived a new business approach. His idea called for more square footage of casual dining space, an expanded menu, thicker pizza served with much more meats and cheeses, sub sandwiches along with a salad bar.
That new concept was Mazzio's Pizza. In ten years, the Mazzio's chain grew to over 150 locations. Presently, the concept features 166 units in ten states.