Through the wafting scent of roasting pizza, the clamor of families eating and laughing, and the celebratory yells of teens who have just won an arcade game, MaryKay Haas stands behind the counter at the Pizza Factory, tossing pizza dough calmly into the air. 

A newcomer to Port Townsend, Haas recently bought the Pizza Factory on Water Street in partnership with Mary Jane Riva, president and CEO of the Pizza Factory corporation. Together, the two – dubbed “MJ” and “MK” – are working hard to rebrand the factory and give back to the community.

“We knew that the previous owners were ready to retire and move on to something else, so MJ and I decided that we wanted to come over here and get Pizza Factory back involved in the community as it once was,” Haas said. 

While the previous owners, Francis and Valorie Danielek, ran the Pizza Factory for more than 20 years, Haas also has a long history as a pizza-maker. She and her husband first opened a Pizza Factory in California in 1997. After they owned the store for 19 years, she went to work at the Pizza Factory corporate office in Oakhurst, California.

While Pizza Factory is a franchise with more than 100 locations wthroughout the West Coast, including in Coupeville, Anacortes, Blaine and Arlington, each has specific goals for giving back to the community. In Port Townsend, Haas and Riva hope that, along with their re-branding effort, they can have a stronger bond.

“Community is probably the biggest thing for us,” Riva said. “It’s all about figuring out ways we can connect and give back to the community.” 

One part of their plan is to work on their “no bullying” program in Port Townsend schools.

“We are getting ready to donate an ‘Our Friends Are Awesome’ bench to the elementary school,” Haas said, referencing the “buddy bench” program, which encourages kids to look out for one another and ask those on the bench to play with them.

“We became a no-bully zone, not just for the school, but also for our employees as well,” Haas said. “Sometimes this is a high-schooler’s first job. They’re nervous and excited and a little apprehensive.”

The Pizza Factory also is starting “takeover nights,” during which organizations such as a sports team or booster club can take over sales for that evening, and a percentage would go to the organization.

Riva and Haas are working to make the Pizza Factory a safe space for teens. They have arcade games in the restaurant and a party room they hope to get up and running with paint nights and trivia nights for teens and families. 

Both Haas and Riva have been enjoying the business together as partners. 

“We’re really great friends,” Riva said. “We have a great time doing it. Our kids will come up and help us with projects. Our husbands will come help, too. It’s something we’re putting more into; it’s our family.”