October 24, 1955
Richards Pizza opens on Dixie Highway. Richards gets 10 customers, and makes $12.04 in sales.
1956
Owner, Richard Underwood introduces what is to become Richards’ culinary cornerstone — its World-Famous Italian Steak Sandwich. The Hamilton West Side location opens at the corner of Main and “D” streets.
1958
Richard marries Peggy King and makes his restaurant a family business. Daughters Karen and Gayl are born “into” the business in 1962 and 1965.
1970
The current Hamilton West Side location at 417 Main Street (Richards flagship restaurant) opens. The original family recipes are still made in the commissary at this location.1987 & 1989
Daughters Karen and Gayl begin the 2nd generation of ownership.
1992
Richards starts shipping their Famous Italian Steak Sandwiches each year during the holiday season as part of the “Nationwide Famous Steak Send Off.”
1993
Hamilton celebrates “Richards Pizza Day” in honor of the restaurant’s 13 millionth customer.
1994
“Make Your Own Pizza” parties begin for kid’s celebrating birthdays, sporting teams, special parties or other events.
1995
Richards, celebrates its 40th anniversary with a tour of Italy.
A Family Affair
Turns 60
The founder of Richards Pizza was introduced to his future in the late 1940s on a trip to Miami, Florida.
“I had a date and we went to a movie or something, and afterwards we wanted to get a bite to eat,” Richard recalls. “Let’s get a pizza,” his date suggested. “A pizza?” Richard replied, completely unaware of what she was talking about.
He had never heard of the round, flat dough covered with tomato paste and cheese that was soon to change his life.
Fast forward to the mid 1950s.
Richard the entrepreneur, who has a small used car business on Hamilton’s Route 4, noticed a restaurant across from the downtown courthouse that sold pizza.
“He looked like he was doing pretty well,” Richard says. “And I thought to myself, ‘Why don’t I open one of those out on Route 4?’”
That’s when pizza and restaurant history changed in Hamilton. You can’t get pizza across from the courthouse today. But you can on Route 4. And on Main Street and in Trenton, Monroe and Fairfield!
In 1956, Richard introduced what was to become his restaurant’s signature item — the now world-famous Richards Italian Steak Sandwich
