Bill Stevens, founder of Arizona Pizza Company, has over 25 years experience in the restaurant industry.  In 1996, he opened a pizza and pasta restaurant concept in Massachusetts. The casual dining atmosphere was enhanced by the wood-burning pizza oven, the Southwestern theme, signature pizza and pasta dishes, and cable television sets strategically placed throughout the restaurant. Further adding to the ambiance was the full service, intimate marble bar that became a favorite destination for dining and socializing with friends and families.  The final element that captured the true spirit of the concept was the introduction of Kokopelli, the fun-loving flute player character.

The success of the first restaurant eventually lead to the development of the Arizona Pizza system in 2001, when Bill’s third restaurant featuring the same theme and much of the same menu, but with greater emphasis on efficiency and economy, opened in Lenox, Massachusetts.  This restaurant was the fusion of the earlier restaurants and became his most successful venture.  The Lenox restaurant became the impetus for the creation of a franchise program, and in 2003 the first franchise was sold.