This Chicago-style pizzeria is expanding its Memphis-area presence with 2 new locations

A local pizza franchisee has opened its second Memphis-area location with plans to increase its local presence within a notable mixed-use development in DeSoto County.

Rotolo’s Craft & Crust welcomed patrons on Monday at its new Collierville pizzeria at 1337 W. Poplar Ave.

Blaire Bobo, who is the co-owner of Rotolo’s along with her husband, Taylor, said the restaurant held a soft opening Saturday for invitation only. Bobo noted her brother-in-law, Riley Bobo, is the general manager of the Collierville Rotolo’s. The restaurant is expected to staff 30 to 40 employees.

Rotolo’s occupies a 3,800-square-foot space in Suite 101 at the Water Tower District in Schilling Farms next door to the new SOB.

“There is a lot of growth happening in Collierville, and it’s a great family community,” Blaire Bobo said. “We really thought it was a need for a Rotolo’s, for our concept here.”

Bobo said the dining room inside the Collierville Rotolo’s seats up to 118 people, while the courtyard area offers outside seating for 50. She said the Rotolo’s East Memphis, which opened in May 2022, seats 182, indoor and outdoor combined.

Bobo said from finding a space, signing the lease, being under contract and doing the buildout that it took about a year for the Collierville Rotolo’s to be completed.

Those familiar with Rotolo’s will continue to see many of the items on the menu that the pizzeria is known to serve at 681 S. White Station Road in the White Oak Shopping Center.

The restaurant features a variety of pizzas, including deep dish, Chicago cracker thin crust, original crust and specialty pizzas. Other choices on the menu include burgers, salads and a variety of appetizers. Rotolo’s will be open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

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Rotolo's coming to Silo Square in Southaven

In addition to Rotolo’s opening its second Tennessee location, the Bobos also have plans to increase its Memphis-area presence with a Southaven location in the works going in at the $200 million, 228-acre Silo Square development. Bobo said that Rotolo’s location is slated to open in the late summer 2024.

“There’s a lot of growth there (Silo Square), and a lot of things in the works,” Bobo said. “My husband really kind of had his radar in that area.”

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Rotolo's locations in Louisiana

Bobo said in addition to the restaurants in East Memphis and Collierville that they are also the franchisee owners of a couple Louisiana Rotolo’s in Ruston and Alexandria.

The Rotolo’s franchise was started in 1996 in Baton Rouge near the campus of LSU.

Corey Davis is the Collierville and Germantown reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Corey.Davis@commercialappeal.com or 901-293-1610

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Rotolo's new Collierville restaurant opens; Southaven spot on deck