New pizza chain based in Seattle is opening a restaurant in the Bradenton area
MOD Pizza has quietly become a major player in the pizza restaurant business since being founded by Scott and Ally Svenson in Seattle in 2008.
The company has grown to more than 500 restaurants coast to coast, including seven in Florida, and is expanding into Manatee County.
The company plans to open a restaurant in the White Eagle Shopping Center, 13220 State Road 64 East, in early 2023, a MOD spokesman confirmed.
Hallmarks of the business include bringing speed, individual style and value to “food to feel good about.”
Its individually sized pizzas and hand-tossed salads can be customized with more than 40 toppings, eight finishing sauces and eight dressings.
“We care deeply about sourcing superior, fresh ingredients with vibrant flavors, and remain committed to working with our partners on environmental impact, animal ethics, and fair labor practices,” the company said.
MOD is a privately owned company consisting of company-owned stores and a group of franchises.
“It’s important to know this is not a pizza place — we’re a people place. Putting people first starts with our hiring practices. From the beginning, we recognized there are people in communities who are often overlooked and face real barriers to employment,” the company said.
Among those MOD seeks to employ are those formerly incarcerated, individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in school and not employed and those who have struggled with homelessness or are recovering from addiction.
The Publix supermarket that anchors the White Eagle Shopping Center, Manatee County’s 19th, opened in August. The 48,387-square-foot store has dine-in seating on the second floor.
North American Properties has developed over 30 Publix-anchored centers, including five in Lakewood Ranch. It has another in the works at at 16600 State Road 64 E.
Paperwork has been filed with Manatee County Building Services to bring several other businesses to the White Eagle Shopping Center, including Great Clips, Tropical Smoothie and Wellness Animal Hospital.
