This new pizza restaurant plans to open in Boise. LeBron James says it’s ‘yummy.’
Another new pizza joint in this town?
(Yes, Boise, we’re all muttering the same thing.)
But this one is a slam dunk. It has LeBron James’ stamp of approval.
Blaze Pizza, which already operates pizzerias in Eagle, Nampa and The Village at Meridian, is preparing to open its first Boise location this year.
The new franchise restaurant at 1644 S. Entertainment Ave. is scheduled to launch in December, according to a company spokesperson. Blaze Pizza will share a building with Costa Vida, another national chain.
Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Blaze Pizza recently described itself as “the nation’s leading fast-casual pizza franchise concept with more than 340 restaurants across 41 states and six countries.”
Blaze says it’s “known for its savory artisanal pizzas and customizable made-to-order menu featuring fresh, natural ingredients free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners ... .”
It’s also known for LeBron James. Back when Blaze was starting out, the NBA superstar invested $1 million, which reportedly grew to $35 million and beyond. He also helped the company promote its brand. In 2016, he surprised customers at a store by posing as an employee named “Ron” for a commercial. He reprised the role in 2019. He’s also called Blaze “my favorite place to eat” on Instagram, using hashtags #Yummy and #BestPieYouCouldGet.”
Blaze’s food model involves quick, customizable pizzas that get cooked in 3 minutes. As you choose your ingredients — “choose any toppings, all one price” — it’s not unlike ordering at Chipotle or Subway. Or Paddles Up Poke, if you want an Idaho reference.
Unsurprisingly in the pizza-saturated Treasure Valley, Blaze will have a competitor nearby — albeit one that might not be familiar to folks who don’t frequent the Boise Spectrum for an occasional Edwards Cinemas movie.
You sort of have to feel for N.Y. Giant Pizza, considering that its new neighbor is one of the fastest-growing chains in America. But, hey, maybe N.Y. Giant can get Saquon Barkley to pretend to be an employee?
