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Rosati’s Pizza, a Chicago-style franchise, will hold its grand opening in south Overland Park this Monday, Aug. 22, and part of the proceeds that day will go towards local teen suicide prevention efforts.
Driving the news: The pizzeria, 8360 W. 151st Street, plans to donate 25% of its opening day sales Monday to SpeakUP, a local nonprofit that aims to help teens and their families with mental health struggles and prevent teen suicide.
- The restaurant will hold a ceremonial “pizza cutting” at 10 a.m. Monday with the help of Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog.
- After the, Rosati’s plans to be open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Owner’s story: Local franchise owner Bob Ring made a mid-career switch to pizza-making.
- After owning his own security firm for 25 years, Ring, a lifelong Overland Park resident, decided he wanted to get into the pizza industry and spent six months working at a local pizza restaurant — starting off as a driver and working various other roles — to learn the ins and outs of the business.
- He will run the new Overland Park Rosati’s with his son, Keegan, who will serve as general manager.
What they’re saying: “If parents ask their children what they want for dinner, the answer is always pizza,” Ring is quoted in a press release. “At Rosati’s, we consistently deliver high-quality pizza using only the freshest ingredients … I cannot wait to serve the Overland Park community the delicious Italian fare I love.”
Zooming out: Rosati’s was founded in Chicago by two brothers in 1964 and now boasts more than 200 locations nationwide.
- The new 151st Street franchise will be the second Rosati’s in Overland Park, with the first location at 9928 College Blvd.
- The company specializes in the classic Chicago-style deep dish pizza but also serves pizzas with thin and stuffed crusts and a gluten-free option.
- Their menu also features pasta, wings, salads, sandwiches and other dinner options.
Opening day cause: A quarter of all money earned on Monday at the new Rosati’s will go to SpeakUP, a nonprofit founded by two Johnson County families dedicated to teen suicide prevention efforts.
- SpeakUP is dedicated to the memory of Jason Arkin, 20 and Sara Prideaux, 16, who both committed suicide in 2015.
- Sara was “was in the top of her class … had a 4.7 GPA, spoke multiple languages [and] loved to bake,” according to a tribute on SpeakUP’s website, but “suffered unimaginable pain” from an undiagnosed mental illness.
- Jason was a “brilliant, sensitive, caring” young man, an Eagle Scout and National Merit Scholar who suffered from bouts of depression and battled a sense of perfectionism for much of his life, his family says.
What else you can do: SpeakUP hosts an annual walk on the Garmin campus in Olathe to raise awareness about mental health challenges and teen suicide prevention.
- If you’re interested in learning more about the organization or volunteering, you can learn more here.
