On their very first weekend in business, the guys behind PRUF Pizza did something most restaurants only hope for.
They sold out — fast.
A line wrapped outside the door and around the corner despite the snowy cold outside, and within hours, the shop had run through everything they had prepped. For founders Troy Ryder and Beau Miller, it was the realization of a vision years in the making.
From left, Beau Miller, Troy Ryder and Nate Gueck stand at the counter of their slice shop, PRUF Pizza. The shop sold out in the first couple hours of each of its first few days open. They hope the buzz will keep the momentum going into this next weekend of business. (Justin Tubbs | Montrose Business Times)
“I always wanted to see a line outside the door of a restaurant in Montrose,” Ryder said. “When it actually happened, it was like, ‘Oh, this is actually happening.’”
This weekend will mark PRUF Pizza’s second week of operation out of a brick-and-mortar, and momentum doesn’t appear to be slowing.
PRUF is located at 345 E. Main St., inside the former Double Barrel Taco space, next door to Ray’s Corner Café. The building owner, Ray Blanchard, is renting the space to the PRUF team — an opportunity Ryder and Miller say they’re extremely grateful for.
The shop is open Thursdays from 5–9 p.m., Fridays from 5 p.m.–midnight, and Saturdays from noon–midnight, or until they sell out. Nate Gueck, owner of Buddy’s Smoke & Vape, is the financial backer behind the project.
The business began as a pop-up operation at outdoor events, but even they didn’t anticipate just how quickly the response would escalate once they opened a physical location.
“I kind of hoped for it, but I didn’t expect it,” Ryder said. “It was surreal to look back on all the work we put into it, all the failed pizzas, and finally see the vision actually happening.”
Ryder said it became clear early on opening night that they were in trouble — the good kind.
“Nate was like, ‘Hey man, people are lined up in the snow around the block,’” Ryder said. “We immediately were like, ‘Okay, next week we have to up it.’ We kind of figured (at that point) we’re going to sell out every single day.”
During opening weekend, the shop sold about 12 whole pies per hour on average, Ryder said. Two of the days, they were completely sold out within two hours.
Coming from operating a pop-up, they underestimated the buzz, and they didn’t have enough pizza to satiate everyone’s hunger.
“We really thought people were just going to order one or two slices,” Ryder said. “We didn’t think people were going to be ordering whole pies like that.”
Now, the team is increasing production for its second week, aiming for roughly 160 pizzas across three days.
“That’s probably the peak with this space,” Ryder said. “We will not be able to do more than that.”
Because of the limitations with their small rented kitchen space and oven, selling out may remain a regular occurrence.
“If we’re selling out with this, it’s going to be consistent,” Ryder said. “People just need to show up early if they’re very serious about eating the pizza.”
Years in the making
The PRUF concept has been quietly evolving for a couple years.
“Our first Instagram post was January 2024, when we were like, ‘This is a great concept. This would be a cool name,’” Miller said.
Actual dough development began at the same time without any concrete plan to open a restaurant.
“We were just working on the dough,” Miller said. “Not even thinking about opening a pizza place.”
Neither Ryder nor Miller traveled extensively to traditional pizza cities while developing their recipes. Instead, Miller relied on instinct, personal expectations, and the internet.
“I just had to kind of be like, ‘What would I expect out of the perfect slice?’” Miller said. “And we hit it, decided to roll with it, and (Gueck) backed us blindly. He had never tried a single thing I’d ever cooked and supported us 100%.”
That leap of faith paid off.
“It was fulfilling to see people do like it,” Miller said. “They will line up. They want it.”
Small kitchen, big standards
PRUF currently operates out of a compact kitchen with a small oven, a reality that requires the team to get innovative without cutting corners.
“You saw what we’re working with,” Ryder said. “It’s kind of crazy.”
Still, Ryder said the team refuses to compromise.
“We will not sacrifice quality at all,” he said. “Every single piece that comes out of here — the ingredients we use, we use them for a reason. If you change that, then we don’t have the same slices.”
Even basic ingredients are locked in.
“If we weren’t able to get our flour, we couldn’t open,” Ryder said. “It’s not getting changed.”
Their secret cheese blend includes white cheddar, which makes it unique, stretchy and tasty.
“The idea was good stretch, not breaking at high temps,” Ryder said. “Then flavor that lingers and makes you want more. White cheddar was the answer.”
Their pepperoni is a beef-and-pork blend designed to cup and char. They make their own ranch, sauces, pepper blend, lemonade and chili honey in-house.
“Everything we can make ourselves, we do,” Ryder said.
The chili honey includes honey, chili oil, chilies, toasted garlic, and champagne vinegar. The lemonade is built from a proprietary blend of citrus designed.
“All fresh herbs,” Ryder said of the ranch. “Highest quality we can get.”
Comfort for freaks
Beyond the food, PRUF’s aesthetic stands out.
Ryder describes it as old-school pizzeria meets alternative or punk.
“We wanted to be an old school pizzeria, slice shop kind of thing,” Miller said.
Ryder described it as “comfort.” Miller jokingly added: “Comfort for freaks.”
Miller said the atmosphere is meant to feel welcoming and judgment-free.
“It unconsciously gives people permission to just kind of be themselves,” he said. “It’s comfortable. It’s chill. It’s okay to be different. We’re all here for the same thing — pizza.”
Ryder, who runs PRUF’s social media, said feedback has been consistent.
“Most people are saying, ‘I love the vibe. It’s refreshing. The pizza’s amazing,’” he said.
The shop’s branding features pizza boxes designed by the team, bold graphics and a mascot cat named Frico — inspired by a tattoo Miller already had. That cat is displayed on the front window.
All three are creatives. Ryder is a graphic designer and artist. Miller and Gueck are in a psychedelic garage punk band together called Drug School.
Ryder’s brother, Jesse, is lead content creator for a large tech company and has 599,000 followers on Facebook alone. He has been helping them with some of their online marketing, like the video in this link, highlighting their in-house ranch dressing.
Decorating the walls are skateboards, old VHS tapes, music posters and stuff that has the vibe of a punk teenager’s bedroom in the 1990s.
They all see branding as the first conversation customers have with a business.
“I think your brand is what you say about your company when you’re not there,” Ryder said.
“It’s usually the customer’s first interaction with your company before they even try your food,” Miller said.
He compares it to album artwork.
“You used to buy a record and sit and look at the artwork while listening,” Miller said. “We’re trying to combine different sensory experiences again.”
Passion before profit
PRUF recently lowered its slice price to $6.
“When everybody was okay paying seven, we lowered it,” Ryder said. “We’re not greedy. We’re not trying to get rich. It opens up a market.”
Ryder notes that PRUF’s 20-inch New York-style pizza is roughly twice the size of a standard chain pie.
“You can kind of eat for a little more than chain prices, but the quality is way better,” he said.
The team’s internal motto is simple.
“Everything we do is going to be everything we love…” Ryder said. “It’s passion before profit. All the way across the board. And we really believe the profit’s going to follow.”
Looking ahead
Ryder and Miller don’t yet know where a future brick-and-mortar might land. They simply hope to grow into one.
“We’d love to be successful enough to get our own full brick-and-mortar with a proper kitchen,” Ryder said.
Future ideas include expanded menus, desserts, salads, live alternative music, and possibly brewing a small amount of house beer or cider.
“This is just the baseline,” Ryder said. “People don’t even realize what’s coming.”
They want to have live alternative music in their future space. They want to bring back Detroit-style pies, too. Something they served out of their pop-up stand.
Despite the humble setup, Ryder is confident in the product.
“We’ll put our slice against any slice in the country,” he said.
For now, PRUF Pizza is focused on one thing: getting pizza out the door. And, judging by the opening weekend, giving Montrose something to line up for.
Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.
