Locals fall in love with each other, pizza for last 60 years at Brick Oven

PROVO — A beloved Utah pizza restaurant is commemorating its 60th anniversary this summer, and lovers of the mouth-watering, cheesy dish will have the chance to celebrate with them.

Kent Heaps opened Brick Oven in 1956, a time when many Utahns were ignorant to what others were calling "pizza pie," according to Dan George, director of operations of Brick Oven.

Known at the time as "Heaps of Pizza," it was one of the first pizza parlors to open in the Beehive State. Heaps sold the restaurant in the early 1960s, and the restaurant has grown to be the largest pizza place in Utah, George said.

The popularity of both pizza and people dining out largely drove Brick Oven's success, George said.

An ongoing legend about Brick Oven is that if you work at the restaurant, it won't be long before you get married. Multiple employees have in fact met their spouses there, including former owner, Glee Zumbrennen.

"Through time, there's just been a lot of relationships that have been forged at Brick Oven," George said.

Eventually, Brick Oven displayed wedding pictures in its front lobby of people who met their spouses there.

"It was amazing to see as people walked into the building how they could relate their stories of how they met their wives … or husbands," George said. "… We just realized that maybe this rumor or this legend of Brick Oven is true as we see so many young couples getting married after meeting there."

Come June — following the remodel of Brick Oven in Provo — the company will celebrate its anniversary with the community.

Though plans are not finalized, George mentioned themed promotions throughout the remainder of 2016.

George feels the nostalgia behind the restaurant has impacted the community.

"When people come to drop their missionary off, people come to Brick Oven," George said. "When they … visit the temple, they come to Brick Oven. BYU events, after the games, that's where people come to celebrate."

As part of its anniversary campaign, Brick Oven recently released a video on Facebook that has gained 25,000 views. George said they will continue their campaign throughout the year.

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