Izzy's Pizza

Izzy's Pizza was a regional American pizza restaurant chain founded in Albany, Oregon, in 1979 by Izzy and Jim Covalt. The business developed from the couple's ownership of eight Shakey's Pizza franchise restaurants. After a dispute concerning increased franchise fees, the C ovalts converted their Shakey's locations to operate under a new name, using Izzy Covalt's nickname as the identity for the replacement chain. The brand expanded primarily across the Pacific Northwest. Its Oregon presence included locations in Albany, Eugene, Springfield, Corvallis, Keizer, Bend, McMinnville, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Salem, Newberg, Gresham, and other communities. It also operated in Washington, including Olympia, Bellingham, and Everett, and reached California at its peak. The chain ultimately grew to 36 locations across Oregon, Washington, and California, giving it a substantial regional footprint despite remaining much smaller than national pizza companies. Izzy's Pizza was distinguished principally by its local and regional operating model rather than by national-scale corporate ownership. Its history reflects a common pattern in the restaurant sector: franchise operators separating from a larger system after a disagreement over commercial terms and then developing an independent identity around an existing customer base and operating network. The available reference material identifies pizza restaurants as the brand's core offering but does not provide sufficiently detailed information about specific menu lines, recipes, pricing, store formats, or advertising programs. The chain's last traditional locations closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, the brand returned in a smaller format through a food truck, indicating an attempt to preserve or revive the name outside its former multi-location restaurant structure. This comeback means the brand has a continuing presence, although the scale and organizational relationship between the food truck and the former restaurant chain are not documented in the supplied sources. Izzy Covalt, the brand's namesake and co-founder, died at age 97 in March 2025. Izzy's Pizza is therefore best understood as an Oregon-rooted regional pizza brand with a historical restaurant-chain phase and a later food-truck revival.

Izzy's Pizza began in Albany, Oregon, in 1979. Izzy and Jim Covalt were operators of eight Shakey's Pizza franchise restaurants. Following a dispute over increased franchise fees, they converted those restaurants to an independent business operating under the Izzy's Pizza name. The name came from Izzy Covalt, who became both the brand's namesake and one of its founders. The new company expanded through Oregon and into neighboring states. Its Oregon markets included Albany, Eugene, Springfield, Corvallis, Keizer, Bend, McMinnville, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Salem, Newberg, Gresham, and other communities. The chain also operated in Washington, with locations identified in Olympia, Bellingham, and Everett, and had a presence in California. At its peak, Izzy's Pizza had 36 locations across Oregon, Washington, and California. The company's development illustrates how an independent restaurant identity can emerge from a franchise network. Rather than starting with a single newly built restaurant and expanding organically, the Covalts used existing restaurant operations as the foundation for a regional chain. The available material does not establish the precise menu architecture, management structure, ownership changes, or financial performance of the business, so those aspects remain undocumented here. The final traditional Izzy's Pizza locations closed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The closure ended the brand's long-running conventional restaurant-chain format. In 2024, Izzy's Pizza returned through a food truck, representing a smaller and more flexible operating model than the former network of permanent restaurants. The supplied reference does not clarify whether the food truck operates under the same legal ownership as the historical chain or describe its current route, menu, or service area. Izzy Covalt died in March 2025 at age 97. Her death marked the passing of the person whose name defined the brand from its founding. Izzy's Pizza remains associated with Oregon regional restaurant history and with the conversion of Shakey's franchise locations into an independent pizza business.

• 2025

  Izzy Covalt dies

  [1]Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Co-founder and namesake Izzy Covalt dies in March 2025 at age 97.

• 2024

  Brand returns as a food truck

  [1]Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Izzy's Pizza makes a comeback through a food-truck operation.

• 2020

  Traditional restaurant locations close

  [1]Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  The last Izzy's Pizza locations close during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• 1979

  Izzy's Pizza is founded in Albany, Oregon

  [1]Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  Izzy and Jim Covalt establish Izzy's Pizza after converting a Shakey's Pizza franchise location following a dispute over increased franchise fees.

• Regional expansion across the Pacific Northwest

  [1]Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  The chain expands through numerous Oregon communities and into Washington and California.

• Chain reaches 36 locations

  [1]Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org

  At its peak, Izzy's Pizza operates 36 locations across Oregon, Washington, and California.

A locally rooted regional pizza brand originating in Oregon and historically built through independent conversion of franchise restaurants.

• Restaurant food · 1979

  Pizza

  Pizza was the central product associated with Izzy's Pizza throughout its restaurant-chain history. The available reference identifies the business as a pizza restaurant chain but does not provide reliable details about particular varieties, ingredients, serving formats, or menu extensions.

• 2024

  Food-truck revivalStrategy

  Background

  After the closure of the traditional locations, the brand sought a smaller operating format.

  Action taken

  Izzy's Pizza returned as a food truck.

  Aftermath

  The comeback preserved the brand name in a format distinct from its former multi-location restaurant chain.

  Source

• 2020

  Closure of the traditional restaurant networkStrategy

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic affected the chain's remaining restaurant operations.

  Action taken

  The last traditional Izzy's Pizza locations closed.

  Aftermath

  The permanent restaurant-chain format ended, although the brand later returned through a food truck.

  Source

• 1979

  Conversion from Shakey's franchises to an independent brandStrategy

  Background

  Izzy and Jim Covalt operated eight Shakey's Pizza franchises and disputed increased franchise fees.

  Action taken

  They converted the franchise restaurants into Izzy's Pizza locations, creating a separate regional identity.

  Aftermath

  The move established the foundation for a chain that later reached 36 locations across Oregon, Washington, and California.

  Source

1. 1Izzy's Pizzaen.wikipedia.org