How it All Started
A 25+ Year
Pizza Journey
In 1987 EJ was granted an opportunity to begin the endeavor he had dreamed of for many years of owning his own pizzeria.
His dream started off small. He had a tiny shop located right across from the MN State Fair grounds. He found a few employees, many of which are still his friends today. They had limited resources in the beginning, and they made their dough & mixed their sauce by hand. That was a chore, especially in the summer without air conditioning!
EJ was given a recipe for a pizza sauce when purchasing the store, but he wasn't happy with it. He began to create his own, because he wanted his customers to have a great product. He went out into his local community doing taste tests until he heard
"this is the one! Stop now!"
That sauce went on to be
voted Top 10 in the Twin Cities in the early 90's.
As his little shop's customer base grew, he was able to expand the location to include a back room and buy a machine to mix the sauce & dough. Things were going so well he even added a
2nd location in South Saint Paul, MN.
In the early 2000's he decided he wanted to take a break from the pizza industry. He tried a new adventure as a loan originator, and then moved on to be a lending executive. He enjoyed that for a few years, but pizza was in his blood.
He and his wife April began a search for another opportunity to own a pizzeria. In 2007 they happened to find their way to a nice gentleman who was selling his pizza shop in Hudson, WI. Without hesitation they bought it — knowing pizza is what they wanted to do. They packed up and moved in order to live close to their business.
When the opportunity arose to remain with a franchise brand or become an independent pizzeria, they chose independent. They knew a franchise just wasn't the way for them — and how much they loved the freedom of being independent.
Back out into the community they went. For over 2 months they went out with blind taste testings — creating over 20 sauces, testing their own creations against each other. There was one sauce that continuously received the highest vote in every taste session. It is
the sauce that won hands down, and is the sauce of EJ's Pizzeria.
EJ's is locally owned & operated by his family.
He also has a great staff. EJ's serves both Quantity and Quality. They are a little hidden, so you could say they are
Hudson's tastiest secret.
1987
EJ opens his first pizzeria near the MN State Fair grounds, making dough & sauce by hand.
Early 90s
EJ's secret sauce is voted
Top 10 in the Twin Cities
after community taste testing.
2000s
EJ takes a break from pizza, works as a loan originator and lending executive — but pizza was in his blood.
2007
EJ and his wife April move to Hudson, WI and purchase a local pizza shop. They rename it, rebuild it, and make it their own.
Today
EJ's Pizzeria is 100% independent, family owned & operated, serving Hudson with a community-chosen secret sauce and the motto:
"Heavy on the Toppings."
