DAVENPORT, IOWA (February 15, 2023) Bryan Shorter can’t help but get nostalgic when he looks back on all of the good times he had with family and friends at Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream growing up in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Now, he wants to bring those same experiences to a new generation in the Lone Star State.

The iconic pizza brand is proud to announce that Shorter and his ownership group, HJ SMS OpCo LLC, as its newest franchisees that will spearhead the arrival of Happy Joe’s into Texas in 2023. Making the move even more significant is that HJ SMS OpCo is a Black-owned business group — the first minority franchisees for Happy Joe’s!

“This is a huge moment for us as an organization because we are diversifying as we continue to expand,” said Happy Joe’s CEO and Chief Happiness Officer Tom Sacco. “We are passionate about making great pizza and creating countless memories for everyone that comes into a Happy Joe’s. Having more minority-, veteran-, and female-owned franchisees allows us to gain greater perspective on those core ideals as our footprint continues to grow. Ultimately, we want to reflect our guests across this great country that we call home.”

A former Western Kentucky University football player, Shorter has since traded in his helmet for a business card, having become a successful entrepreneur and real-estate developer with business ties to Missouri. Growing up in the Midwest, he looks back fondly on several birthday parties, team celebrations, and overall fun nights spent eating pizza and playing games at Happy Joe’s.

When the opportunity presented itself to bring Happy Joe’s to Texas, HJ SMS OpCo LLC jumped at the chance to expand its business portfolio and bring those same good times to families who may have never experienced the Midwestern brand’s charm and creative culinary offerings. Add in that the territory the group acquired is in Dallas-Fort Worth, where they already have friends, family, and established relationships, Shorter and his team didn’t need much convincing to close the deal.

“There are lots of places you can get pizza, but there’s only one place that gives you a unique pizza experience like Happy Joe’s,” Shorter said. “They know how to treat people and how to build deep roots in the community — two things that I always look for with my business ventures. I can’t express how excited my group is to not just be the first minority-owned franchisees, but to also be the first ones bringing Happy Joe’s to Texas!”

Shorter’s goal is to open the state’s first Happy Joe’s in their multi-unit agreement in the southern Dallas suburbs of Grand Prairie or Cedar Hill, before the end of the year. If they are unable to find a great location in either of those areas, the focus will then shift west to nearby Arlington — the second-largest city in Tarrant County. All three of the targeted areas have minority populations that are 40% or higher.

About Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream

Founded in 1972 by Joe Whitty in Davenport, Iowa, Happy Joe’s dream was to create a restaurant concept that focused on serving America’s two favorite foods — pizza and ice cream — in a family-friendly, celebratory environment. Owned and operated by Dynamic Restaurant Holdings Inc, Happy Joe’s has been named a Pizza Marketplace “Top 100 Brands to Watch”, a FastCasual “Top 200” concept, a Franchise Times “Top 400” business, and a Nation’s Restaurant News “Top 500” restaurant. The family-centric pizza brand has three company and 42  franchise locations throughout the Midwest with 28 more in the pipeline. To learn more, visit HappyJoes.com or follow Happy Joe’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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