Flying Pie alumni toss stories at 30-year reunion
Pizza company celebrates 30 years in Boise. To some, the 'Pie' represents a philosophy

BY SANDRA FORESTER - sforester@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 08/04/08

Darrin and Alyne Branson met, married and began raising their children behind the counter of the Flying Pie.

"I've learned so much," including that her ideas were welcomed and valuable, said Alyne, who has worked for the pizza company since 1986.

"I matured as a business person," said Darrin, who joined the business in the early 1990s. "I learned about understanding and reading people."

The couple said they live by a Flying Pie philosophy that you don't complain, you create solutions.

"That's the foundation of what we do," said Darrin, now a pharmaceutical representative.

"It's the foundation of our marriage," said Alyne, who supplies Flying Pie with written materials from the couple's home in Rathdrum in Northern Idaho.

The Bransons' story was just one of hundreds told Sunday at Boise's Memorial Park as employees past and present celebrated Flying Pie's 30-year anniversary with a reunion hosted by owner Howard Olivier and former co-owner/founder Joe Levitch.

About 2,500 people were invited, but organizers expected up to 500, including some folks who traveled from Seattle and Portland.

The crowd enjoyed games, inflatables, water fights and all types of food delivered throughout the day from various restaurants along with some barbecue - but no pizza.

"No one is working at Flying Pie," said Lesley Juel, the company spokeswoman.

The award-winning restaurant with two Boise locations has been a local favorite for decades by providing specialty pizzas like Stromboli and No Vegy Pieway, creating a great atmosphere for customers and publishing the most creative comment card drawings.

Shooting for excellence is a key to the company's success, Olivier said.

"It doesn't have to be pizza; we could make shoes. But what we're going to do, we're going to do great," he said.

He said he's also found that effort and results are opposites.

"If you focus on effort you may not get results," he said. "You can only get excellent results by focusing on results."

Olivier, who bought into the company in 1984, said he would like to find an investor or group capable of taking the business to the next level.

The business is ready to take off, Juel said.

"We're just at the beginning of expansion," she said.