"They have been a staple in the community. It's established, and I am excited to be part of it," says Leach, who will take over Oblio's, at 6115 East 22nd Avenue, starting February 1. "It's a dream come true."
In fact, he adds, buying the pizza spot felt more like fate — and good timing. After more than fifteen years working in the restaurant industry in both Colorado and California, Leach decided he was ready for his own venture. "I drove by the restaurant and it hit me. I used to go all the time when I was a kid and in high school," says the 34-year-old Denver native. "It's very nostalgic for me." He put together a business proposal and found an investor right away, which was lucky in itself, he adds.
Pizza will still be the crux of Oblio's.
Oblio's Pizzeria
The McKay family opened Oblio's in 1996 and has operated it for most of its run, save for a brief break in ownership when a divorce led to the sale of the business. (The family re-purchased it in 2016.) Morgan McKay, Dawn's daughter, will still manage the spot, and Leach says he wants to keep on as much staff as possible. He recognizes the unique place the pizzeria made for itself in the neighborhood, a fact made apparent a year ago when the community rallied to help save Oblio's from closing.
At the time, Morgan spoke to Westword about the GoFundMe campaign she'd launched in November 2021. Its goal was to help cover basic costs and repairs after the price of ingredients and labor had risen, as well as close gaps in bill payments left over from the pandemic and the 2020 restaurant shutdown. The funds raised helped float Oblio's, but overall, the situation put a lot of stress on the family, especially Morgan's then-seventy-year-old mother.
The McKays were ready to let Oblio's go. But Leach stepping in is like a dream come true for Morgan: She doesn't have to leave the beloved pizzeria, but she also doesn't have to worry so much about its future.
Aside from serving pizza, salads, breadsticks and pasta dishes, the restaurant is known for hosting a slew of family-friendly events where kids can meet superheroes, watch magic shows and rub elbows with Disney princesses. While many of these events were cut back in the past year, Leach wants to continue them in the future.
"It's impressive what they did and all the events they held," he says, adding that Morgan is helping him coordinate future programming. "I definitely don't want to take away the events the neighborhood kids have come to love."
While customers can rest assured that no major changes will be made, Leach does hope that soon there will be more (and better) seating so that Oblio's can welcome all the families and fans it has garnered over the decades.
