Business: Woody’s Wood-Fired Pizza and Watering Hole
Address: 1305 Washington Ave., Golden
Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Monday
Founded: 1993
Contact: 303-277-0443, woodysgolden.com, @woodysgolden
Dz:approximately 75
Interview with Jon Bortles, underboss and owner rep
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
:My dad, the owner and founder, has been taking my sister and I to Woody’s since day one. Starting in high school, I began busing tables and making pizzas at the annual Buffalo Bill Days festival. During college and graduate school, I managed the restaurant and learned the administrative side of the business. Now, I represent the family as owner rep while my dad enjoys retirement on the western slope. There aren’t many things I haven’t done at Woody’s.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
:Woody’s is uniquely Golden. We are third-generation Golden residents with deep roots in the community. We also feel like our buffet that features all-you-can-eat wood-fired pizza, a fresh salad bar and homemade soup is an unbeatable value that you can’t find anywhere else in the state. Along with 16 local craft beers, half-pound burgers and wood-fired wings, we’ve pretty much got something to offer everyone in the family.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
:I love the stories that I hear from our customers. From “We had our first date here 20 years ago as Mines students,” to “We decided to move to Golden after the wonderful experience we had at Woody’s,” — we really feel connected to our community. Touching nearly 350,000 customers a year makes for some incredible stories, memories and shenanigans.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
:We have the best staff in the state and an exceptionally low turnover compared to industry averages. Nonetheless, we are seeing the high cost of living in and around Golden make good help even harder to find.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
:Our little family-owned and -operated pizza joint was ranked no. 46 in Pizza Today’s “2016 Hot 100 Independent Pizzerias in the Country.” We were the no. 1 spot in Colorado and the no. 7 spot nationally for single unit pizzerias.