WICHITA — The almost half-century old Charlie’s Home of Pizza Taco is coming to Wichita as Charlie’s PizzaTaco.
The original restaurant, which sells pizzas in the shape of tacos among other things, is something of an institution in Pratt.
Owner Charlie Hoffman’s son, Dave, is opening the business here in the former Pitas & Paninis space (and Yuca Latin Bistro before that) on Tyler just south of Central.
Dave Hoffman’s partner in the business is his brother-in-law, Tim Holmes.
“They’re going to try to retire me,” Charlie Hoffman says.
He’s OK with that — one of these days.
“I’ve done if for 45 years, and I’m kind of wearing out.”
Dave Hoffman owns Golden-Colo.-based Hoffco Brands, which manufactures and distributes about 20 brands — and 1,200 SKUs (stock-keeping units) — of products such as cell phone accessories, eyewear and LED lights.
“We do hot gadgets that retailers want to buy,” Hoffman says.
And now he wants to go into the restaurant business?
“I must be crazy, huh?”
He’s already making plans for almost a dozen of the restaurants followed by franchises.
“We’re taking (my father’s) whole idea and adding marketing to it because that’s what I do,” Hoffman says.