Side A: Kettering grocer Victor “Vic” Cassano, Sr. (1922-2002) and his mother-in-law Caroline “Mom” Donisi (1893-1987) opened what became Cassano’s Pizza King on June 4, 1953. Their signature square-cut, thin-crust “pizza pie” was an instant success; selling 400 pizzas the first day and propelling Cassano’s to one of the top pizza chains in America by the mid-1970s. Vic Sr. was a trailblazer, as Cassano’s was reportedly one of the first in the nation to franchise its stores (in 1955) and offered delivery via its “Pizza Bugs” in the early 1960s. A true entrepreneur, Vic Sr. also developed other restaurant concepts, including, by 1980, London Bobby Fish & Chips and The Commodore. (Continued on other side)
Side B: (Continued from other side) In 1989, Vic Cassano, Jr. (1945-2010), acquired control of the company. This visionary leader led Cassano’s through tremendous challenges while positioning it for a new generation of growth. In 1994, Vic Jr. expanded the manufacturing of their “Signature Dough” to support a growing interstate wholesale business. In 2004, he streamlined the task of ordering a pizza by opening the Cassano’s Call Center, which served all of its stores. Vic Jr. had a steadfast commitment to take Cassano’s trademark tast to the world, and in 2010 he introduced the “Home Edition” pizzas, freshly prepared in Dayton and then frozen and delivered to the homes of fans nationwide. The company continues in the pursuit of upholding the Casano’s motto, “La prova è nel gusto… The Proof is in the Taste!”
Sponsors: Cassano Enterprises, Inc., U! Creative, Inc., The Ohio History Connection
Address: Cassano Enterprises, Inc., 1700 E. Stroop Road,
614.297.2300
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