The Joy of Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza!

Change the way you pizza!

Taste of the Town: Papa Murphy’s
Written by Dennis McNabb, Staff Writer | Photos by Laurel Bice

Not that this should come as much of a surprise, but according to Taste Atlas’s list of the 100 most popular foods in the world, pizza is number one. So it’s official: everyone loves pizza! The only real argument regarding its reign, it would seem, comes down to optimal methods of consumption. Some enjoy the full “parlor” experience. Some prefer regular restaurants or bars. Some like to have it delivered, and some, believe-it-or-not, would rather have it frozen. But all of those methods have inherent drawbacks. There is only one method, and one brand, which truly provides zero disadvantages, and that is Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N’ Bake.

With Papa Murphy’s, the preeminent purveyor of Take ‘N’ Bake pizza, you can experience all of the benefits — fresh dough made from scratch every day, freshly cut vegetables, 100% mozzarella cheese shredded from blocks (not poured from a bag), consumed at will, piping hot and delicious — with none of the detriments! It all began back in 1994 with the merger of two highly successful Take ‘N’ Bake chains: Papa Aldo’s, founded right here in Hillsboro, Oregon in 1981, and Murphy’s, founded in Petaluma, California in 1984. Together they formed Papa Murphy’s and have since gone on to win numerous accolades and become the largest Take ‘N’ Bake pizza brand in the country. Their core mission was simple: take the hard work out of mealtime so you can focus on more important things like family and friends. It’s easy to understand why this has proven to be such a winning formula.

And just because Papa Murphy’s is a nationwide chain, don’t be fooled into thinking they’ve forgotten their humble roots. In fact, 95% of their locations are actually owned by franchisees; smaller “mom and pop” teams who live in and care passionately for their local communities. Here in the Salem/Keizer area, we are fortunate enough to have 7 locations owned by KJ Glennon, a born-and-raised native Oregonian! KJ grew up loving the Papa Murphy’s brand since one of his best friend’s parents owned several locations. As fate would have it, it is those same locations which KJ and his wife Paige now own! They could think of no one better to pass the torch to than someone they considered family, and KJ was honored to take the reins.

I had the pleasure of speaking with KJ, and it was abundantly clear from the outset how passionate he is about the brand and his capacity to have a positive impact on the community. Both Papa Murphy’s as an organization, and KJ as an individual, have worked tirelessly to support other local businesses, charities, and schools at every opportunity. KJ also believes in prioritizing his employees, treating them like family and developing a fun and supportive work environment that is reflected in their first-rate in-store customer service. The fact that so many of his employees have been there long term is testament to his dedication.

So, next time you have a craving for pizza, consider Papa Murphy’s. Our Salem and Keizer locations are quite simply the best! It’s always fresh, always served exactly how you like it — piping hot in the comfort of your own home!