Recently, Woodlands Online sat down with Carl Comeaux, CEO of Crust Pizza, the family-friendly popular Italian restaurant based in The Woodlands.
Comeaux’s main role at the Crust main offices is to manage the daily operations of all departments, from sales to store development to ongoing support for franchisees. Though currently residing in Lake Charles, Louisiana, he has a deep personal history with the Township.
“I lived here in The Woodlands from 2015 - 2018,” he told Woodlands Online. “While living here, I discovered Crust and got to know its founders, Mark and Clint out in Katy. Along with my business partner Nick [Fontenot, CTO of Crust], we got it franchised in 2018 and then partnered up shortly thereafter.” ‘Mark and Clint’ are Mark Rasberry and Clint Price, co-founders of Crust.
Currently, there are 27 Crusts in four locations throughout Louisiana and Texas, with two more opening soon, including one in College Station. With the Houston area basically sold out, Comeaux is taking Crust into Austin and San Antonio. “After that, we’re looking at going east, into Florida, the Carolinas, and Tennessee,” he said. The projected goal is to complete 10 openings in 2024, 15 in 2025, and eventually reach 25 openings per year.
The original co-founders of Crust, Raspberry and Price, wanted to establish in North Carolina, but instead The Woodlands became the home of the restaurant’s origin story. The first location opened in the Panther Creek Shopping Center in 2011, followed by the Alden Bridge location, then eventually Creekside and Gleannloch.
Meanwhile, in 2015, Comeaux and his business partner Fontenot were scouting the franchising concept for another company. Then fate stepped in in the guise of – of all things – Hall & Oates.
“My wife, three children, and I were living in Katy. We had tickets to a concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. We drove up, parked, attended the concert, and after I turned to my wife and said, ‘Let’s move here.’ We fell in love with the area. We prayed hard on it, and made the choice to move up.”
Comeaux credits the friendlier people, activities for kids, and strong sense of community for inspiring them to move here. Eventually, they reluctantly bid adieu to The Woodlands and returned to Lake Charles to be closer to family, but it’s obvious that their collective heart remains here.
“We’re your neighborhood pizzeria. We love the pizza industry; it brings families together,” he said. “When you come to a place like Crust, it’s usually the entire family, and more, who comes along. We’re delighted to provide gourmet meals for a good price.”
When it comes to community, Crust does more than just talk the talk. Not only do the restaurants give back 15 percent to schools, spirit groups, sports clubs, and the like, but also offers a ‘Kids Eat Free’ deal every Tuesday to help ease the family food budget.
“At the end of the day, we want to give back to the community that supports us,” he said.
