Vermillion gets first El Fredo Pizza franchise
Jan. 22, 2020
Sioux City’s longtime El Fredo Pizza is coming to Vermillion before Sioux Falls.
Dale Hein is opening the first franchise for the restaurant, which is known for its “secret sauce” that has been in the Lennon family for 62 years.
“The buzz has been incredible,” said Hein, whose ownership partner is Ron Kurtz. “We’re super, super excited. This is just a great thing for Vermillion.”
El Fredo will open in early February – Hein is hoping for Feb. 5 – in the former Little Italy space at 831 E. Cherry St.
Concept sketch for signs courtesy of Pride Neon
Sioux City owners Mark and Miez Lennon are still working on franchise plans for Sioux Falls.
“We were up there driving around” looking at potential locations in Sioux Falls, Lennon said. “It (the growth) was just unbelievable. We’re very excited.”
In Vermillion, the restaurant’s menu will be larger than the one in Sioux City because the kitchen is significantly larger and there’s more equipment, Hein said. It will have more pasta dishes, sandwiches and salads. There’s a broaster and a fryer, so the restaurant will serve broasted chicken, buffalo wings and appetizers such as mozzarella sticks, he said.
Pizza will be the main draw, though.
“I have been eating El Fredo’s pizza since I was 10 years old,” Hein said. “I grew up four blocks from the restaurant. My buddy and I would walk up every Saturday and split a medium pepperoni and sausage pizza.”
He also has a connection to Lennon, who recently took over ownership of El Fredo in Sioux City from his brother John. Twenty-five years ago, Lennon was the executive chef and Hein was the bar manager at the Holiday Inn in Sioux City.
A few months ago when Hein was driving by El Fredo, he saw Lennon in the parking lot and stopped to talk. He mentioned that he’d love to bring the restaurant to Vermillion, and the new owner told him that franchising was part of the growth plans for the business, which his father, Fred, started in 1957.
Once they struck a deal, Hein spent several nights at the Sioux City restaurant learning how to make the pizzas and the pastas. Lennon has been up in Vermillion, too, helping Hein with the layout for his kitchen.
The restaurant will seat about 130 people, and there’s a party room. It will serve beer and wine.
Unlike the Sioux City restaurant, the one in Vermillion will be open for lunch. The full menu will be available all day.
Hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
