JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A nationwide take-and-bake pizza restaurant chain that was once a Jacksonville mainstay has closed all of its Northeast Florida locations.
Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza, based in Vancouver, Washington, had a total of 14 restaurants ― some dating as far back as 2010 ― in Jacksonville, Neptune Beach, Orange Park, Fleming Island, St. Augustine, Fruit Cove and Saint Johns, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation online records show.
Now, there are none.
And according to Papa Murphy's website, only one location remains open in all of Florida, in Pensacola.
Many of the Northeast Florida restaurants were corporate-owned, Florida Division of Corporation online records indicate.
Papa Murphy's officials didn't respond to Times-Union telephone, email and social media messages seeking comment.
But a Papa Murphy's customer who recently contacted the restaurant chain's corporate offices about the local closures shared the company's emailed response to her inquiry with the Times-Union.
"All our locations in Jacksonville, Fl. have closed permanently … The majority of Papa Murphy's locations are independently owned and operated. Unfortunately, they close for various reasons that we are unable to disclose due to privacy issues," a Papa Murphy's guest services brand ambassador said in the email responding to the customer's inquiry.
Founded in 1995, Papa Murphy's is owned by MTY Food Group, a Canadian-based company that describes itself as "one of the largest franchisors in North America’s restaurant industry." Papa Murphy's is among more than 90 brands of fast-casual, quick-service service and casual dining restaurants owned by the food group, according to its website.
Papa Murphy's has "struggled" since the COVID-19 pandemic ― closing 3.5% of its stores and now operates 1,127 locations throughout the United States, Restaurant Business magazine reported in April.
