Chicago pizza chain makes Florida debut in region

Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza has opened its first Florida restaurant in Clearwater, the Chicago-based chain says.

The family owned chain, which specializes in thin-crust, Neapolitan pizza baked in a wood-fired oven, recently opened at 1100 Cleveland St. in Clearwater.

Summit Design + Build’s Southeast office completed the build out of the chain’s 2,506-square-foot restaurant, located within the 1100 Apex apartment building.

The build out of the pizza restaurant included installing a kitchen with a dedicated wood-fired pizza oven, dining area, bar area and restrooms, the general contractor says.

 Kimmich Smith Architecture LLC worked as the project’s architect.

Billy Bricks’ Clearwater location is the chain’s 10th. Its other restaurants are all located in and around the Chicago area, according to its website. The company was founded in 2005 after founder Bill Wilson ate similar styled pizza on a trip to San Diego, its website notes.

Like Billy Bricks, Summit Design is based in Chicago and the company also maintains a regional office in Tampa.

During its 16-year history, the company has designed and constructed more than 330 buildings containing more than seven million square feet.