SANDPOINT — When Pizza Factory CEO Lisa Roscoe drove through Idaho last October, a pitstop in Sandpoint for a coffee and lunch left a lasting impression. 

Everywhere she went, she saw pedestrians saying hello and clerks greeting customers by name. 

"This is a Pizza Factory town," she recalled thinking. "I mean, you can feel it here. It's incredibly charming." 

Now, that vision is becoming a reality as the company moves forward with its expansion plans. Roscoe returned to Sandpoint this month in search of a potential franchisee for a Pizza Factory in Sandpoint. 

It will join several existing Pizza Factory locations in Idaho, and Roscoe attributes their success to the nature of the communities they are located in. 

“Pizza Factory was really built on this sort of small-town community model,” she said. “Our point of differentiation has always been, you know, be the place that provides the pizzas for the schools and sponsors the teams.” 

With the number of events held in Sandpoint, Roscoe felt like the restaurant would contribute to the community-oriented city. 

In 2025, Pizza Factory became part of Wonder Franchises, after the company’s former CEO, Mary Jane Riva, decided to sell the business to the private equity company. 

“I think the reason that Mary Jane selected them to sell to is that they, of course, want to grow, but they want to grow smart, and they want to grow reasonably, and they want to grow with the right people,” said Roscoe. 

Since Roscoe said Wonder Franchises is not a typical private equity firm that grows a brand to sell it and profit from it, she doesn’t feel an immense amount of pressure to grow the business at any cost. 

When looking for potential franchisees, there are characteristics she values. 

"We're not looking for somebody who just wants to build a restaurant, hire employees, and never be present. That's not generally a fit for our brand," she said. 

The ideal candidate is someone who has grown up or lived in the area for several years, intends to stay, is willing to make connections within the city, and wants to put roots down in Sandpoint. 

While Roscoe acknowledges that previous restaurant experience is a plus, it isn't a dealbreaker. 

"We have people that come from all different industries and often have nothing to do with restaurants," she said. 

Above all, Roscoe said she is looking for candidates who see and feel a need to serve their community. 

"We can teach you how to run a pizza place, but what we can't teach is that kind of grit and passion for community," she said. 

The Pizza Factory wasn't always a franchise. It started in Oakhurst, California, and was originally called Danny’s Red Devil Pizza. 

After growing the restaurant and deciding to franchise, the founders renamed it Pizza Factory, and the restaurant expanded through word of mouth. 

“We really grew by being in a lot of mountain towns or towns that were on lakes or near resorts,” Roscoe said. "It just kind of stayed in California and then slowly made its way up the coast.” 

Roscoe said the restaurant favors the West Coast because the menu fits the region. 

“We’re really a true California style of pizza, so it works well here,” she said. 

Originally from Canada, Roscoe said she had always been around restaurants.  

“I just always was in the restaurant business and even all through university, I was managing the pub on my campus," she said 

Upon finishing her undergraduate, she attended law school and found herself eventually doing franchising law, going in-house with a restaurant chain as their lawyer. 

“As I grew with them, I realized that I really liked the whole business, not just the legal side of it,” Roscoe said. 

After working with Tim Horton’s before moving to the United States to do real estate development on the West Coast, Roscoe realized she missed the restaurant world. 

“Once you’re in it, it’s impossible to leave,” she said. 

Roscoe saw the posting for a new CEO after Riva sold the business. After interviewing and getting to know the individuals behind the company, Roscoe said she knew it was the right fit for her. 

“It really does have a great community of franchisees,” Roscoe said, adding that many of them have owned their stores for up to 40 years. 

“People really treat their locations very locally,” Roscoe said. “The decor reflects that, and the relationships with the community reflect that. It’s a really special brand to be a part of.”