Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom Expands to Olathe, Kansas with New Franchise Location
Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom Expands to Olathe, Kansas with New Franchise Location
Family-Driven and Service-Focused Co-Owners Bring Elevated Pizza Experience to the KC Metro
OLATHE, Kan. – Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom is continuing to scale with a new location in Olathe, Kansas, opening at 15241 W. 119th Street. Backed by co-owners Lucas Roeske and William Pratt, the wood-fired, fast-casual pizzeria with a self-pour taproom wall brings a fresh, community-centered dining experience to the KC Metro. The restaurant will open on Thursday, April 30th.
For Roeske, the decision to open a Smokin’ Oak Pizza location is rooted deeply in family. Growing up in a franchise household, he watched his father build and expand Culver’s locations, an experience that shaped both his entrepreneurial ambitions and personal life, even meeting his wife through the business. Now, as a father of four, Roeske is bringing that same sense of connection and purpose into his own venture.
“Food has always been at the center of the most important moments in my life, whether it was growing up in my family’s restaurants or building my own,” said Lucas Roeske, Co-Owner of Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom Olathe. “What drew me to Smokin’ Oak is the quality and care behind the product, from fresh, in-house ingredients to the wood-fired process. It’s simple, but it’s done the right way, and that’s something I’m proud to bring to a community like Olathe.”
The approximately 3,000-square-foot restaurant will employ around 20 team members and feature a self-pour tap wall with 20 taps, offering guests a customizable and interactive beverage experience. Combined with the brand’s signature wood-fired pizzas, the concept delivers both speed and quality in a fast-casual setting.
Leading day-to-day operations is William Pratt, a seasoned restaurant professional with experience spanning fast casual, catering, and high-volume operations. He previously worked his way up through management roles, including serving as General Manager of a top-performing Culver’s location owned by Lucas’s family, where the two worked alongside each other for several years. Pratt brings a strong focus on team development and guest experience.
“I’ve always believed that hospitality goes beyond just serving food, it’s about how people feel when they walk through the door,” said William Pratt, Co-Owner of Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom Olathe. “We’re here to truly take care of our guests. From the quality of what’s coming out of the oven to the way we connect with every person who walks in, our goal is to create an experience people remember and want to come back to.”
Pratt’s service-first philosophy is matched by his passion for mentorship, with a focus on developing team members and creating opportunities for growth within the restaurant. Together, he and Roeske form a complementary partnership: balancing big-picture vision with hands-on operational excellence.
The restaurant will hold its Free Pizza Day in the coming weeks, a much anticipated event for every new Smokin’ Oak Pizza location. Further details, including the date for Free Pizza Day, will be posted to the restaurant’s Facebook page at facebook.com/smokinoakolathe.
Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom is known for its commitment to fresh ingredients and authentic preparation. Pizzas are cooked in a high-temperature, oak wood-fired oven in just minutes, while dough and sauces are made in-house daily. The open kitchen design allows guests to watch the process unfold, reinforcing the brand’s transparency and craftsmanship.
With its combination of quality-driven food, interactive elements like the self-pour tap wall featuring 20 rotating craft and domestic beers on tap, and a strong emphasis on community, the new Olathe location is positioned to become a local gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors alike.
For more information, please visit www.smokinoakpizza.com/olathe-ks.html
About Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom
Founded in 2009 and franchising since 2017, Smokin’ Oak Wood-Fired Pizza & Taproom is a fast-casual franchise concept that serves authentic wood-fired pizza. Guests customize their own pizza by choosing from over 35 fresh toppings or, by ordering one of the brand's 12 Specialty Pizzas, which include favorites like the Buffalo Chicken Pizza and the Smokey Dokey. Also available are a great selection of starters, salads, and desserts.
Most locations have an interactive, self-pour tap wall where guests can pour their own alcoholic beverage with the touch of an RFID wristband. All pizzas are baked to perfection in an oak wood-fired oven using only the freshest ingredients. In fact, the food is so fresh, there are no freezers on site and the wood-fired oven is the only cooking utensil used in their restaurants.