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Pizza Haven is the name of a Seattle-based pizzeria and pizza delivery chain, founded in 1958 opening its first location in the University District, Seattle near the University of Washington. Pizza Haven was among the first to make deliveries. Restaurant employees used radio phones to relay orders to roving drivers who carried stacks of pizzas in warming ovens in the back of their jeeps and pickup trucks.
Ron Bean, original founder, and a series of partners grew Pizza Haven into a chain of 42 restaurants throughout the Pacific Northwest and California. The 700-employee company even opened franchises in Russia, Poland and the Middle East. In the mid '70s, Bean branched out, opening a second restaurant chain called Bean Pod Delis that offered baked goods and health food. By the mid-'80s, his partner wanted out so a portion of the chain was sold to Pietro's Pizzas, which itself had just been bought by the Campbell Soup Co.
By the late '90s, increasing competition from better-funded national chains, leasing difficulties at some mall locations and what Bean describes in hindsight as several "bad decisions" combined to push Pizza Haven into filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A missed tax payment then forced the company into involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1998. The remaining stores were shuttered, except for the Pizza Haven and Bean Pod restaurants in Seattle Center Center House.
http://www.facebook.com/PizzaHaven
Read more: Pizza Haven founder is at it again | Puget Sound Business Journal [1]
Pizza Haven is also an Australian restaurant chain and franchise operation specialising in pizza and unrelated to the original US company.
In 1984, brothers Evan, Louis, Bill and Gabriel Christou started Pizza Haven with the aid of a A$24,000 mortgage on their parents' home. The first Pizza Haven outlet was at Glenelg in Adelaide. Employing twelve people, the Christou brothers were active in the running of the business. Today, Pizza Haven is a franchised business.
In May 2006, New Zealand Pizza Haven stores were bought by Domino's Pizza and a majority were converted to Domino's while some stores were able to stay branded as Pizza Haven.[2]
In July 2008 it was announced that Pizza Haven Australia had been acquired by Eagle Boys pizza chain. [3]
Pizza Haven was the first Australian pizza company to:[4]
Pizza haven recently introduced in India. First store opened in Hyderabad-Andhra pradesh.