Photo taken by AJ Merriman
AJ Merriman
The Ramspondents
Before it was a corner hangout with a basement bar, Slyce Pizza was an idea crammed onto a napkin. Founder Jeremy Tand brought that sketch to life with creative slices and a community-first feel in Old Town.
Tand launched Slyce Pizza in Fort Collins in 2014. His love for pizza and his goal to create a unique taste and experience through pizza motivated him.
He said he was motivated by his experience working in pizza shops, which sparked a seven-year plan to build his own. The idea originated on a napkin during a meeting. The napkin contained the layout of the hypothetical pizza store, details on how it would be run, and a list of what he would need to open it.
The goal is to offer a distinct and diverse selection of gourmet slices to customers who may feel overwhelmed by the choices available.
Tand is originally from Long Island, New York, and has loved pizza since he was a child. He envisioned a place where people could unwind and sample intriguing new sensations. Tand spent many years preparing, exploring, shopping, and gathering resources before launching in 2014.
These flavors distinguish themselves from other well-known delicious foods. There is no professional approach for this. It's only a notion. When asked about the napkin and his ideas, he said,
“I started drawing on the napkin with a pen of like, could this be a pizza place? Because if I can’t see it, what’s the point of going through with it?”
This napkin contained a detailed map of how things will be run and where specific items such as the dough station and oven would be situated.
Tand has always enjoyed pizza. Even after he got to college, he remained obsessed with it. He ate so much pizza that he soon realized he was overspending on it. That's when he chose to work at a pizza place in exchange for free pizza.
“I worked there for 8 ½ years, and that place was a madhouse of efficiency,” he said. “How busy they were, especially like late at night. And I love the job, I love the environment, and I was like, wow, I could take this and move this somewhere, where I wanted to live.”
Starting a business is a major gamble that requires your whole focus. For Tand, it was no different.
He had been in the pizza game for 8 ½ years. He understood what it takes to keep the shop running, and his supervisors encouraged him to go and make his own pizza.
So that is what he did. He loved the idea of mountains and skiing, so he decided to move to Fort Collins. Tand started a shop in Old Town in 2014, but not with the intention of offering traditional cut-and-dry pizzas.
He wanted to think outside the box and add something unique to the pizzas. His ideas come from attempting to deconstruct different foods and see what they can put on pizza while still tasting wonderful.
“My white whale has been a chicken noodle soup pizza. I can’t quite get a handle on it, and my old pizza place did it, and they nailed it,” Tand said. “I don’t want them to tell me because it’s cheating, and I’ve tried it three different ways.”
Tand has been here for more than 10 years, during which he has had a significant influence and impact on the community. Tand said he adores Fort Collins and appreciates the opportunity to contribute to and positively touch the lives of those who live here. When questioned about the most fulfilling aspect of working at Slyce, he said,
“When I’m driving or biking with my family or friends and seeing it on the corner with the new signs, that’s mine. You know when I’m walking to go to a different bar somewhere else with my wife and you see it and it’s busy and you’re not even in there and you’re like, ‘I did that.’”
Tand values not only the business he has built but also the affection and sense of community that he has fostered through his passion for pizza.
However, Slyce has evolved into more than just a one-stop shop, something that even surprises Tand. Slyce also has a bar in the basement of their shop called "Speak Cheesy" and is now catering weddings.
“I did not think 10 years ago, five years ago, that we would have a bar in our basement and that I’d own the bar,” he said. “Never thought that was on the bingo card.”
Even after 10 years of ownership, this business continues to keep Tand on his toes. Tand said he has no regrets and enjoys what he does to this day. When asked about if there were anything you would tell your younger self, he said,
"I think the advice I’d give myself is like trust yourself and like enjoy the journey because there have been so many rewarding things and there haven’t been too many frustrating moments and there haven't been too many setbacks. It’s been a fun journey filled with a lot of pizza.”
AJ Merriman is a reporter for The Ramspondents.