The Power of Pizza

By Janelle Brandon
Contributing Writer

In his youth, Nick Enderson, owner and operator of Pizza Nico in Moorhead, was nomadic. He had the pleasure of calling Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota home.

“I went to high school in the great little town of Benson, MN and graduated from NDSU in Fargo,” shares Enderson.

Though he never pictured a specific career as a child, he knew he wanted to help people. That is, if it never panned out for him to go professional as a golfer. Even though the professional golfer bit didn’t come to pass, Enderson does get a chance to make the golf course his respite from slinging pies for the diverse and demanding appetites of Fargo and Moorhead residents.

“My philosophy on getting by day-to-day is to have fun and help everyone around me to enjoy life as well,” continues Enderson. “I just figured I would end up doing something that accomplished those things and would contribute positively to society.”

Enderson graduated from NDSU in 2005 with a degree in Mathematics and put his degree to use in the field of IT project management.  He worked with database management, system integrations, SQL business logic, and in his words, “all of the b.s. that comes with managing projects for a big company.”

“Solving the puzzles to make a huge corporation run smoothly on the back-end is fun,” admits Enderson. “Dealing with project intake forms, ROI justification, all of the TPS reports, and a general ignorance of what is really going on in the company is mind-numbing. I knew it was time to open something awesome myself.”

Inspirational Pizza

There are two, and only two, driving forces behind Enderson’s decision to open Pizza Nico. His wife Elizabeth, and their four-year-old son Clive.

“I just want them to be comfortable and happy. I’ll work all day and night for them,” promises Enderson. “If I’m doing something that makes other people happy too, then even better.  I have yet to find someone that doesn’t like pizza, and we will make anyone a pizza that they will really like!”

Enderson and his wife decided to open Pizza Nico in the Fargo/Moorhead area due in part to the large support network of friends and family in the area. And the close proximity to a good old friend and a devoted brother sealed the deal.

“My friend Jonny Ferry, the local legend of the Knickerbocker Liquor Locker, and my brother, Mitch, have been my two main sidekicks,” says Enderson. “Elizabeth helps with filling in shifts, running errands and making special sauces, and little Clive focuses on keeping the front lobby stocked with LEGOs and other toys!”

Enderson quit his job with Target in June of 2010 and Pizza Nico opened in July of 2011. According to Enderson, there were three monumental steps to take before the grand opening.

1.) Getting everything legal and legit; permits, logistics, insurance, banking, menu and ingredients.  This part makes opening a business the first time around complicated. Enderson recommends putting in research up-front and learning the rules and regulations before running into obstacles down the road.

2.) Accomplishing everything needed to get the physical space up and running including construction and remodeling, equipment research and procurement and ingredient sourcing, finalizing the menu and the logo design and advertising plan.

3.) Setting the wheels in motion for a kick-ass, kick-off opening plan and pulling it off.

“The third step seems like it should be the easiest, but for whatever reason requires a whole lot of mental fortitude,” admits Enderson.

Enderson loves a challenge so many of the business related feats he’s encountered in terms of cash flow or staffing have been met by him calmly. For him, the challenge is personal.

“I miss spending time with my family,” reveals Enderson. “That part is tough. Everything else can be handled relatively easily.”

The community and Pizza Nico’s loyal customer base have been tremendously receptive in the last four months they’ve been open.

“I love interacting with people,” says Enderson. “It was no fun when I worked for someone else and had to treat customers in ways that were against my own morals and ethics. Now I get to enjoy myself and help everyone else have fun now as much as I want!”

The Pizza

The Uncle Tommy is Enderson’s favorite pie to make late at the end of the night (or early in the morning, depending on perspective as they are open until 3 a.m.) The Euclid (made with salmon) is a runaway sentimental favorite for Enderson.

“Personally, if I’m only having a piece or two I’d probably choose buffalo chicken,” says Enderson. “When it comes down to it, if I’m hungry, I will usually make myself a supreme with no olives.”

All of Pizza Nico’s specialty and supreme pizzas get ordered prolifically by customers.

The Top 3 Most Popular Pizza Nico pies:

#1 The Uncle Tommy (for the meat and spice lovers)
#2 The Hawaiian Supreme (sweet and salty)
#3 The Greek Veggie (hummus as a base layer topped with capers, olives, feta, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes)

Pizza Nico takes dietary needs into consideration on their menu. In addition to the Greek Veggie, they offer an Alfredo Veggie and can make their pizzas dairy and gluten-free upon request for vegans. Pizza Nico offers a ‘pizza of the week’ special and has plans in the works to source as many ingredients as possible from local farmers and produce stands.

Practical Pizza

The decision to locate the shop in downtown Moorhead was driven by the need to be central to both cities and to be at the heart of the college scene. An uncomplicated space was also essential to Pizza Nico’s operation.

“The space we moved into at 501 Main Avenue in Moorhead has a rich pizza history,” says Enderson. “Tomacelli’s, Tom’s Pizza and Renelli’s were in this space. I happened to work for Renelli’s for a short time while in college, so this information was something that was in the back of my head the whole time when choosing a space.”

Simplicity drives Pizza Nico’s business. A sustainable model that can be built upon over time with as little overhead as possible is key. A full-service restaurant would complicate the business in terms of potential success.

“I always want Pizza Nico to be owner-operated,” muses Enderson. “I picture Pizza Nico providing an achievable avenue for restaurant industry ‘lifers’ to be able to open their own shop and make a decent living instead of having to always be picking up an extra fry cook shift at Hooters to make ends meet.”

The once nomadic Enderson is now rooted. For his wife. For his son. For his customers. That’s the power of pizza.

[Writer’s Note: Follow Pizza Nico’s monthly “Pizza Perspective” column in HPR. Learn what’s really happening in Fargo and Moorhead late night from the perspective of a pizza delivery driver!]

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