Gourmet Pizza Chain Targets Bay View

A gourmet pizza chain will make its Midwest debut by opening a location in Bay View.

The company, called RedBrick Pizza Kitchen Cafe, plans to open a restaurant at 2202 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Redbrick will occupy the space on the ground flood of the Vue Apartments, located on the west side of the building.

The restaurant will be operated by Jay Vermeulen and another franchisee, whom he called a “silent partner” and declined to name. Vermeulen was previously a small business owner, serving as an operating partner in a string of local health clubs. This will be Vermeulen’s first business in the fast-casual restaurant industry.

Vermeulen describes RedBrick as a handcrafted pizzeria, where pizza will be made “theater style.” Customers will be able to watch their pizzas get made, choosing toppings as they go along or selecting from the restaurants’ featured recipes. The pizzas are then baked in 1,000-degree ovens and brought to the customers’ table within three to five minutes. RedBrick uses fresh vegetables and toppings, and features options for organic or gluten-free dough and organic sauce.

Judging from RedBrick’s website, the chain offers about 17 predetermined recipes which include classic options such as Pepperoni Suprema (organic red sauce, four cheese, pepperoni), Margherita (organic red sauce, fresh mozzarella, roma tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil) and Meat Works (organic red sauce, four cheese, pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, bacon, ground beef). More unique options include Caribbean (organic red sauce, four cheese, pineapple, ham, bacon, salami, jerk seasoning), Greek (garlic olive oil, feta cheese, four cheese, ham, onions, kalamata olives, pepperoncini) and Thai Chicken (Thai sauce, four cheese, chicken, onions, carrots, cashews, cilantro).

Other items found on the menu are salads, breadsticks and an Italian specialty sandwich called the Fhazani, which comes in four flavors (Italian, Veggie, BBQ Chicken and Pesto Chicken). Vermeulen says that they hope to offer a beer and wine selection “down the road.” When added, the beer menu will include local microbrews on tap, while the wine list will include local wineries.

As for the interior, Vermeulen says the restaurant will have an industrial look “that’s very popular right now.” He says the Bay View location will most closely resemble the company’s restaurant in North Brunswick, New Jersey, which is the newest version of the company’s model store. “The franchise has redesigned how the store operates and how it’s presented,” says Vermeulen.

The RedBrick on KK will be the chain’s first restaurant in Wisconsin, and ultimately in the Midwest. Vermeulen says the company views Bay View as “up and coming,” and that its progressiveness will work well with RedBrick’s natural and organic menu options. “The community has come a long way in a short amount of time and we’re excited to be a part of its continued growth,” he says. “This is a new concept in the area. We are excited about the organic dough, organic sauce and fresh vegetables. We are excited about the ability to put together your own dish and watch it be made and have it served in a very timely fashion.”

Vermeulen says that a few more things need to fall in place, but if everything goes as planned RedBrick Pizza is aiming for an opening in mid-July.

While not yet finalized, the tentative hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

RedBrick Pizza Kitchen Cafe currently operates seven restaurants in California, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and New Jersey.

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