Summary

Listen to Chris Brady, co-founder and president of Washington, D.C.-based Timber Pizza Co. on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today

Twelve years ago, two guys in a baby blue 1967 Chevy truck were blasting 90s hip-hop at a D.C. farmers market and slinging wood-fired pizza to anyone who’d listen. Today, that operation is closing in on 10 locations and building a national franchise.

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Brady, co-founder and president of Timber Pizza Co. Chris and his partner Andrew Dana traded tech sales careers for a pizza oven in 2014, opened their first brick-and-mortar in D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood in 2016 and have since expanded across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Now he’s focused on franchising the right way: slow, intentional and rooted in the same community-first values that started it all.

Here’s what Chris gets into:

• The origin story: Why he and Andrew walked away from tech sales, and how a Charlottesville pizza truck sparked the whole thing
• Timber’s pizza style: Marrying New York-style crunch and hold with Neapolitan wood-fired chew, plus why provolone earns a spot in the cheese blend
• The 85/15 model: Keeping 85% of every Timber consistent while leaving 15% for local flair like regional craft beer and neighborhood decor
• The dough non-negotiable: Scratch-made recipe with a strict 48-hour proof at every single location, no exceptions
• Vetting franchise partners: Why integrity, a real operational plan and the right market matter more than the check that clears
• Building employee culture: Tip pooling across the house, wages above the tipped minimum and a “we’ve got your back” approach that’s driven five to six year average tenure
• Advice for growing operators: Pay the pros, delegate your weaknesses early and be honest about where you’re not the A player
• The road ahead: Staying committed to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, with a goal of five to six new stores in 2026 to reach the 15 to 16 unit range

Show Notes:

Timber Pizza Co.

Pizza Expo Columbus

July 2026 issue of Pizza Today magazine

Thank you to our sponsors

Summary

Listen to Chris Brady, co-founder and president of Washington, D.C.-based Timber Pizza Co. on The Hot Slice Podcast with Pizza Today

Twelve years ago, two guys in a baby blue 1967 Chevy truck were blasting 90s hip-hop at a D.C. farmers market and slinging wood-fired pizza to anyone who’d listen. Today, that operation is closing in on 10 locations and building a national franchise.

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Brady, co-founder and president of Timber Pizza Co. Chris and his partner Andrew Dana traded tech sales careers for a pizza oven in 2014, opened their first brick-and-mortar in D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood in 2016 and have since expanded across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Now he’s focused on franchising the right way: slow, intentional and rooted in the same community-first values that started it all.

Here’s what Chris gets into:

• The origin story: Why he and Andrew walked away from tech sales, and how a Charlottesville pizza truck sparked the whole thing
• Timber’s pizza style: Marrying New York-style crunch and hold with Neapolitan wood-fired chew, plus why provolone earns a spot in the cheese blend
• The 85/15 model: Keeping 85% of every Timber consistent while leaving 15% for local flair like regional craft beer and neighborhood decor
• The dough non-negotiable: Scratch-made recipe with a strict 48-hour proof at every single location, no exceptions
• Vetting franchise partners: Why integrity, a real operational plan and the right market matter more than the check that clears
• Building employee culture: Tip pooling across the house, wages above the tipped minimum and a “we’ve got your back” approach that’s driven five to six year average tenure
• Advice for growing operators: Pay the pros, delegate your weaknesses early and be honest about where you’re not the A player
• The road ahead: Staying committed to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, with a goal of five to six new stores in 2026 to reach the 15 to 16 unit range

Show Notes:

Timber Pizza Co.

Pizza Expo Columbus

July 2026 issue of Pizza Today magazine

Thank you to our sponsors