Mark and Kristy Dym, the couple behind the Ballpark neighborhood favorite Marco's Coal-Fired Pizza and its younger sibling in the Vallagio development in Englewood, have plans to double the number of pizzerias in their stable by the end of this year. A new Marco's Coal Fired Pizza will open in the former Johnny Rockets space at the Colorado Mills shopping center in Lakewood — and Mark Dym says he's also expanding his coal-fired empire to Casper, Wyoming.
The Colorado Mills location, which Dym expects to open in November or December, will have the same color scheme and design elements as the original, with a layout similar to the Vallagio location, a full bar and seating for about 120 guests. Dym says the Wyoming location is slated for the same time period — not by choice, but because of the timing of the lease signings.
The Dyms opened the Ballpark pizzeria in 2007 and expanded to the southern suburb in 2011. Despite the growing number of imported, custom-made ovens and the popularity of Neapolitan pizza around Denver, Marco’s Coal-Fired Pizzeria is still the only pizza restaurant in the state of Colorado certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, of which there are fewer than 100 certified U.S. members.