The Last Slice with Neil Newcomb of Brixx Wood Fired Pizza

By: Lacey Griebeler

Barbecue-not pizza-is usually the cuisine that comes to mind when you think of the Carolinas. But that didn’t deter the partners of Brixx Wood Fired Pizza (www.brixxpizza.com), who opened the first location of the pizzeria in 1998 in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte, N.C. Charlotteans applauded Brixx pizzas’ taste, imparted by the wood-fired oven (from Wood Stone Corp., Bellingham, WA.; (www.woodstone-corp.com). Now, Brixx has 10 company-owned outlets across North Carolina and South Carolina, with franchising in the works for another 30 by 2010, including locations in Tennessee.

Pizza & Italian Cuisine spoke with Neil Newcomb, president of Brixx who came on board last year to spearhead the franchising expansion, for insight into why this pizzeria concept is successful in ‘cue country.

Pizza & Italian Cuisine: What is the philosophy behind Brixx?
Newcomb: In creating Brixx, we combined our collective experience gained from working with larger, more upscale concepts and created spaces that average 3,500 square feet with a menu that is less labor-intensive and service that matched our best experience.

Pizza & Italian Cuisine: Why wood-fired pizza in the Carolinas?
Newcomb: Our brick ovens enhance the natural flavors of our quality ingredients and give our pizza great, wood-fired taste. It also lends itself to a thinner, lighter pie that is in keeping with a healthier lifestyle.

Pizza & Italian Cuisine: Tell us about your pizza.
Newcomb: All of our pizzas are handcrafted, 10-inch pies. Our dough is made fresh in-house daily. We use the highest-quality toppings available. We have a loyal customer base, and we love the fact that everyone we talk to tells us their favorite pizza.
Some of the top choices are: Bronx Bomber-spicy Italian sausage, prosciutto, Gorgonzola cheese, tomato sauce and fresh oregano; Spicy Shrimp-spicy shrimp, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chili oil, goat cheese and fresh basil; and Chicken Florentine-roasted chicken, crumbled bacon, Roma tomatoes, feta and mozzarella cheeses and fresh spinach.

Pizza & Italian Cuisine: What else is on the menu?
Newcomb: In addition to the pizzas, we offer great salads made with fresh, local produce. Our Brixx Salad-fresh mixed greens with toasted pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese and croutons, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette dressing-is the number-one selling item on our menu. Our sandwiches can either be made with fresh-baked focaccia or our flatbread. We also offer fresh pastas, such as our most popular Roasted Chicken Penne with Gorgonzola, Cajun spices and sautéed peppers and onions. We like to say there’s something for everyone. Moms can have a great salad with a nice glass of wine, dads get a pizza with their favorite craft-brewed beer, and the kids get dough [to mold like Play-Doh] while they wait on their pizza or pasta. Everyone wins!

Pizza & Italian Cuisine: You have a promotion called Microbrew Mondays. What role do beverages play on Brixx’s menu?
Newcomb: At Brixx, we have 16 wines by the glass and 24 craft-style beers on tap. We offer different promotions, ranging from Microbrew Mondays, where all our domestic microbrews are $1.50, to half-priced bottles of wine on Sundays. You can join our MBA club, where you work on getting your Masters of Beer Appreciation and collect prizes along the way. We also have monthly wine and beer dinners, where Richard Shinault, our corporate chef, pairs interesting beers and wines with creative menus, such as [a dinner paired with beers from Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec; www.unibroue.com]-seared scallops over mixed greens with a warm bacon-honey Dijon dressing and La Fin Du Monde, a strong, triple-style [golden ale], or wood-fired prime rib roast, rosemary au jus, wild mushroom risotto with 17th Anniversary Ale and La Terrible, barleywine-style.

Pizza & Italian Cuisine: Every year, the Brixx locations in Charlotte sponsor a run for charity. What was the basis for this event? Do other Brixx locations sponsor similar events in their communities?
Newcomb: At Brixx, we care about more than just great pizza; we are also care about our community. We recycle everything possible, which is hwy almost all of our beers are on tap. Each year in Charlotte, the Hit the Brixx 5 Mile Run raises thousands of dollars for Hospice at Charlotte Inc. Brixx also supports Girls on the Run [a non-profit athletic program for preteen girls] and local YMCA programs. All of our stores raise money for schools, churches and clubs through the Brixx Bucks for education program. We’re also active in local sponsorships with kids’ soccer and [baseball] teams.