Jamie Poulson stands next to steps which encourage an interactive experience for the young ones, one of the many things that make Dominos Pizza one of the most popular pizza franchises in the nation right now. Photo by Kathy Feist.
Former Delivery Driver Opens His 37th Dominos Store
By Kathy Feist
Jamie Poulson first started delivering pizzas as a part time summer job during college 22 years ago. Now he is a Domino’s franchisee, opening his 37th store at State Line Rd. and Blue Ridge Blvd. on August 18.
A grand opening, scheduled for August 25, featured players from the professional women’s soccer club FC Kansas City will be on hand for autographs. Prizes were also be given out.
The new store has an open view of the kitchen, indoor and outdoor seating, and even a chalkboard wall for children (and adults) to draw on. It is a clean and fun environment marked by tan and red color scheme, shiny stainless steel equipment and humorous signage.
For call-in orders, cars can pass through the drive-through window for pick up. The location, once a Church’s Chicken, fills a hole for Domino’s. The nearest locations, Belton and Waldo, do not deliver to this area.
Rags to Riches
Poulson’s rags to riches story is not unusual among Domino’s franchise owners. Around 90 percent started off at the bottom as delivery drivers or assistant managers and worked their way up. Today, 97 percent of Domino’s is franchised owned, rather than corporate.
Poulson, who got his start in St. Louis, decided to pursue a career with Domino’s when he discovered his general manager was making $55,000 a year. He worked his way up, becoming an assistant manager, district manager and eventually an IT consultant at Domino’s headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“During that job I met franchisees,” he recalls. “I realized they were your average guy.” Having only worked for an absentee investor who owned 60 to 70 stores in St. Louis, Poulson was inspired. A bank loan enabled him to purchase a couple of low volume stores in his home town in 2011. But availability in that market was dried up, he says. He eventually found seven stores in the Kansas City area and began commuting between the two cities, especially for his daughters’ soccer games. Last year, when 21 stores in the area became available, he gambled, won and moved his young family to Liberty, MO.
Poulson will open his 38th store in September in the downtown Power & Light District.
High Tech Advantage
Earnings for Domino’s stock is at an all-time high, up 31 percent since the beginning of the year. Many attribute it to the convenience of ordering. In addition to calling by phone or ordering through its interactive website, Domino’s has recently created an “emoji”, a cell phone app that when pressed makes your favorite pizza appear at your door.
Domino’s has also increased its menu to include pastas, sandwiches and salads in addition to the restaurant-style seating.
For more information on Domino’s at 13131 State Line, call 816-586-0044.