265 S. Old Woodward
248.642.2555
Hours:
Monday-Saturday 9:30 6:00
-
Closed Sunday
Robert Jacobs and his family have
owned Buddy's since 1970.
Buddy's marketing success to TV and
radio advertising, mainly drive-time
commercials on radio. Marx Layne &
Co., a Farmington Hills marketing and
public relations firm, handles special
promotions and projects. Marx Layne
helped develop a Wall of Fame in the
lobby of the Farmington Hills restau-
rant, showing pictures of local celebri-
ties who support Buddy's pizza, with
sales aiding their charities.
One Wall of Famer is veteran Jewish
News columnist Danny Raskin.
Buddy's is involved in many sports
promotions, putting discount offers
on ticket stubs for Detroit Lions and
University of Michigan games, and
making donations to the Capuchin
Soup Kitchen throughout the year.
"Robert Jacobs is an aggressive market-
er and a stickler for quality': said Marx
Layne partner Frederick Marx. "He has
helped make Buddy's part of the very
fabric of the Detroit area business corn-
munity."
Jacobs relies heavily on Wesley
Bikula, vice president of operations,
and Bob Sulek, general manager, who
started as busboys at Buddy's, to handle
the hiring and run the overall day-to-
day operations. "They did a great job
while I was out for three months with a
rare ailment that I picked up on a trip
to Africa': said Jacobs. "They kept our
employees and customers happy, and
we didn't miss a beat around here
In recent years, Buddy's has kept up
with the national diet fads of custom-
ers, providing flour-free crusts, lactose-
free cheese, whole-wheat crusts, even
crust-less pizzas, and reductions in salt,
sugar and fat. "But these fads usually
diminish and pizza lovers often go back
to the old-fashioned pizzas': Jacobs
pointed out.
That's not the case with Buddy's Wall
of Famer Florine Mark of Franklin,
president and CEO of Weight Watchers.
"My Florine Mark Pizza has thin crust,
low-calorie cheese and it's loaded with
vegetables," she said. "That allows me
to eat pizza again. I also love the salads
there. Buddy's is a fun place to go and
take the family."
A portion of the funds from Florine
Mark Pizza sales is given to charity to
fight ALS.
In contrast, long-time Buddy's cus-
tomer Maggi Glogower of Farmington
Hills likes extra cheese on her pizzas,
eating at Buddy's once or twice a week.
"I only eat pizza there, but I notice the
other customers enjoying a variety of
foods': she said.
"That shows we always have some-
thing for everyone': said Jacobs. "In
the summer, many people like our
gazpacho; in the winter it's the mine-
strone, which was perfected by LaVerne
Hatchett, who's been with us a long
time.
"Besides pizza, our most popular
menu items are our salads, spare ribs
and pita tuna sandwiches. Our sales
have been up consistently all year!"
Jacobs bemoans the loss of many
historic restaurants and food icons
in the Detroit area, like Joe Muer's,
Sanders' and Vernor's, but "we're still
here and hope to keep going at least
another 60 years." 11
THE BEST KNIGHTS
OUT IN DETROIT!
BEST
MUSICAL
2005 TONY AWARD'
A new musicalv 4'ripped off from the motion picture
MONTY PYT.I IONtaglid. Grail
SPAM is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods, LLC, used with permission here.
Tickets available at Fisher Theatre box office at all ticketmaster outlets incl. Macy's
ticketmaster.com • charge-by-phone 248-645-6666 • Info 313-87z-woo
BroadvvayInDetroit.com • Groups (zo or more) call weekdays 313 871 1132
Special Holiday Wednesday Matinees Dec. 20, 27 & Jan. 3 at it i r LaSalle Bank
-
-
October 19 • 2006
33