SPPP 1-2Punch 051702 - Punch Neapolitan Pizza

SPPP 1-2Punch 051702
7/5/06
10:17 AM
Page 1
ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS
F RIDAY,
M AY 17,
2002
EAT
F
S ECTION
W W W. T W I N C I T I E S . C O M
He eventually left his job as he misses about the early days of
a marketing analyst for Caribou, when he and his wife used to
Northwest Airlines to plan a sleep on the floor after working morning
pizzeria like the ones he to night, long before they went on to
remembered in Naples. Since spend their days doing business in
launching Punch five years board rooms.
That’s partly why Puckett is reluctant
ago in Highland Park, it has
become a neighborhood to predict huge growth for Punch. “I
favorite with a mob of hungry have no desire to say we’re going to open
customers typically packing a gazillion stores,” Puckett says. “We
want to open one store at a time and see
the foyer to wait for a table.
Like most successful restau- how it goes and have fun with it.”
At Punch, Puckett has the luxury of
rateurs, Soranno hoped to add
a few more branches. But not having to worry about being pushed
being a perfectionist, he didn’t out by the competition. At least for now,
there is no Starbucks-sized competitor
feel that he could go it alone.
“I knew the pitfalls,” doing Neapolitan-style pizza.
“Caribou’s whole philosophy was,
Soranno says. “I had seen other
restaurateurs struggling with ‘We have to grow quickly, otherwise
two units, and the quality and Starbucks will squash us,’ ” Puckett
everything falls apart because says. “They had squashed everyone else,
except in places like Minnesota, where
they try to do it themselves.”
Soranno turned away sever- we got to be the leader.”
When Kristi Fatsis heard Puckett was
al potential partners before
JIM GEHRZ, PIONEER PRESS
teaming up with Puckett. “A lot joining Punch, she didn’t want to miss the
of
people would say, ‘Let's add opportunity to get onboard his next venMen of action: John Puckett, founder of Caribou Coffee, left, and John Soranno, founder of Punch,
pasta,
and we could increase ture early. She started at Caribou nine
have paired up to make lots of pizza.
revenues 25 percent by appeal- years ago making lattes and wound up as
ing to more people.’ And I just its human-resources manager. Now a
shudder when I hear things like stay-at-home mom, she works as a server
one night a week at Punch.
that,” Soranno recalls.
“I see us opening a second store and
With Puckett, it was different. Soranno was impressed eventually opening one or two a year,”
that Puckett and his wife, Kim, Fatsis says. “I definitely see them needhad built Caribou into a lead- ing more positions, and I could then paring chain. “I followed the allel my experience at Caribou, and that
progress of Caribou because it would be a great ride.”
Puckett and Soranno’s long-term
was a great entrepreneurial
Not one to kick back and enjoy the story,” Soranno says.
plans are as different as their personaligood life, the 38-year-old entrepreneur
He also believed Puckett understood, ties. Soranno considers making pizza
with an Ivy League business education respected and valued Punch
looked for a career change and found it Pizza. After all, Puckett and
at his favorite pizza joint in St. Paul. his wife were regulars at the
Now, he and Punch owner John restaurant, driving from
Soranno, 39, have joined forces and are Maple Plain a few times a
opening a second Punch next week in month.
Eden Prairie. While neither is willing to
For extra insurance that the
commit, chances are good there may be partnership would work, the
more Punches in the future.
men sought the business equivSoranno and Puckett are so in sync alent of premarital counseling.
that they look as if they’ve worked with Punch regular Brad Swanson
each other for years rather than months. and another organizational
BY GITA SITARAMIAH
But this is a courtship that took time. psychologist conducted perPioneer Press
They had long discussions, psychologi- sonality tests on the would-be
cal evaluations and traveled to Italy partners to determine whether
JIM GEHRZ, PIONEER PRESS
t’s a busy Friday night in the together before they decided to commit. they were compatible.
kitchen at Punch Neapolitan The two men found that while they’re
“It looked to me like a Punch partner John Puckett puts orders together on a
Pizza, and John Puckett is work- competitive, dedicated and hard work- good marriage,” Swanson busy Friday night.
ing his station as if his life ing, they have very different strengths.
says. “John Puckett was
depended on it. He’s the expeSoranno is the foodie, obsessed with much more out-going and liked to be fun. “I’ll be doing this in 10 years for
diter of a four-man team, and his job is finding the best ingredients and making involved with the public. John Soranno sure,” he says.
to check each order, put the final touch- pizza that’s as authentic as the puffy, was a little more introverted and more of
Not Puckett, though.
es on the food before it leaves the wood-baked pizza in Naples. Puckett is an operations guy.”
“If I have the opportunity in life to do
kitchen and make sure customers get the numbers man who built a coffee
The Johns also traveled in Italy something different every 10 years, I
their takeout.
chain second only to Starbucks.
together last summer for a get-to-know- would love to do that.”
“Have a nice weekend,” he calls out
Whereas Soranno loves to dish about you trip.
to a woman who’s just paid for a pizza.
the hot new restaurants in town and
As for the Punch family, the close-knit
In his checked chef pants and white where to get the best sushi, Puckett staff didn’t know what to expect when
What: Punch Pizza
apron, Puckett looks like he was born to enthuses about business concepts like Soranno told them about the partnership.
Where: 704 S. Cleveland Ave. S.,
the job. He even bears a few battle scars, strategy planning, branding and systems “People were very nervous about having a
St. Paul; (651) 696-1066.
like the missing tip of his finger, which problems.
new boss,” says manager Brian Jameson.
he recently sliced off during an exhaustUnlike Puckett, Soranno had always
But soon, Puckett started winning
Second branch opening in May
ing night.
dreamed about making pizza. Growing them over by working as hard as the rest
But this is the same man who found- up in Italy, Soranno fell in love with of the staff making pizzas, seating cusat 8353 Crystal View Road,
ed Caribou Coffee and walked away 11/2 pizza. When his family settled in tomers and even washing dishes.
Eden Prairie; (952) 943-9557
years ago with enough money to live the Minnesota, pizza was what he missed
The chitchat with customers, the
rest of his life as a man of leisure.
the most.
teamwork and the frenzied pace is what
one-two puncH
Pizza maker
and Caribou
Coffee creator
make a unique
tag team that’s
getting ready
to flex its muscle.
I