Pizza Ranch to reopen in Charles City under new ownership this spring

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

Cactus Bread will soon be back in Charles City — courtesy of your local Pizza Ranch.

Pizza Ranch, which saw it’s Charles City location close this past summer, is tentatively scheduled to reopen April 1 under new ownership once the sale is finalized in the coming weeks.

Len Jentz, owner of the Pizza Ranch in Waverly, confirmed the good news for pizza and chicken lovers of the midwestern pizza chain that originated in northwest Iowa.

“I think it’s going to be a pretty exciting thing,” said Jentz. “I’ve had so many people come into my store in Waverly, saying ‘when are you going to open that Charles City Pizza Ranch?’”

Jentz plans on reopening the restaurant in Charles City at its current location and will remodel the building.

He said he is meeting with a contractor, as well as business and construction consultants, on Wednesday. He said he will know more details concerning the upgrades he plans for the restaurant after that informative get together.

Jentz said the purchase of the building, along with the restaurant, will be finalized on Dec. 31 and that he is shooting for an early spring re-opening.

“What really determines when we open is going to be how fast we can get the work done and the materials in to do the work,” said Jentz.

Pizza Ranch opened its first stores in 1981 and the location in Charles City in 2000. There are more than 200 restaurants strewn across the nation in states like Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Colorado and Minnesota.

Jentz has been owner of the Waverly location for the last 12 years. He said his son, Dustin Jentz, will be partner and general manager at the Charles City restaurant.

Jentz talked about the buzz circulating around town in the last couple weeks about rumors Pizza Ranch was reopening in Charles City.

“I’m glad there’s excitement because that means we’re probably going to be successful,” said Jentz. “I’m kind of counting on that.”