LEDO PIZZA

For Ledo Pizza founder Bob Beall, ignorance was bliss. In fact, some of his earliest “errors” helped create the blueprint for what’s now known as the Maryland-style pie.

As a tobacco farmer and liquor inspector, Bob Beall didn’t know much about the pizza biz when he started out with partner Tommy Marcus, but he already had a businessman’s eye for enterprise. In his inspector job, he was privy to restaurants’ financial books and wanted in on this moneymaker. “He educated himself, so there was a lot of trial and error, but that made us who we are today,” recounts Jamie Beall, Bob’s grandson and current president and CEO of Ledo Pizza. “We had square pizza instead of round, provolone versus mozzarella, and a very thick-cut pepperoni. Our style came from not knowing any better.”

Still, when the pair opened Ledo Pizza in 1955 in Adelphi, Maryland, Bob’s job experience paid off. He chose a site next to the University of Maryland and bordering a dry county—meaning customers would flock to the pizzeria to down some booze with their meals. He was also a natural promoter, giving away a toaster (a then-novel gadget) to attract attention. Finally, as a minor-league baseball pitcher, Bob counted many big-name sports friends; soon, customers were visiting to spot guests like Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra. “That really put us on the map,” Jamie notes. “A who’s who came into the restaurant, and it was a staple for the university.” Ultimately, Ledo’s unique recipe—square with a thin, pastry-style crust, a sweeter sauce, and salty smoked provolone on top—helped form the Maryland pizza style.

BY TRACY MORIN

When Bob’s son, Bobby, came into the business in the mid-’80s, he eyed licensing and franchising. With Bob’s blessing, he toyed with several concepts, from sit-down dine-ins to carryout-type locations. The business grew organically, pushing out to a larger radius with three to five new units per year, on average. “They taught the recipes and business—what Ledo is all about,” Jamie explains. “We have good food at a fair price, in a family atmosphere. But, most importantly, we try to make our operations part of the community.”

Jamie started working at the pizzeria in 1985 and assumed operations in 1998, with his three brothers as largely silent but involved partners. He brought the business into modern times with a POS system and, eventually, social media and online ordering, which only recently soared from 3% to 35% of total sales (and that’s without offering delivery). Today, the Annapolis-based business counts more than 110 locations in its network— and growing. “We always make sure our current locations are healthy before we add more,” Jamie says. “We try to keep a fun, fresh menu, experimenting with culinary trends. But our heart and soul is pizza.”