Whiz Biz: Ballpark Pizza Team

Name:

Owner: Jim Poettgen

Address: 22431 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita

Phone: 949-589-3436

E-mail: Jim@ballparkpizzateam.com

Website: www.ballparkpizzateam.com

Hours of Operation: 11-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Open at 10 a.m. Sundays during football season.

Employees: 30

What makes it so awesome: Whether serving up pizza for the whole soccer team, a school fundraiser or a family on a Friday night, Ballpark Pizza Team knows how to do it right. This family-run business has supported the community for years, and its just-right mix of Chicago and New York-style pizza, coupled with a fun yet casual atmosphere, make it a stand out in the city of Rancho Santa Margarita.

What's the scoop: Owner and general manager Jim Poettgen has lived and breathed the restaurant business since the age of 13, when he snagged his first job at the Mission Viejo Country Club as a busboy.  He worked his way into the kitchen so he could have an up-close view of what went on behind the scenes. He worked in various other restaurants over the years before opening Ballpark Pizza Team 19 years ago, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Poettgen grew up in Santa Ana and Mission Viejo and attended Mater Dei High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track. After high school, he moved on to Saddleback Community College, where he continued playing football, and then went on to Cal Poly Pomona to continue his football career. After graduating from Cal Poly with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Poettgen married his wife Diane. Together they have raised four daughters, all whom have worked at Ballpark Pizza Team at one time or another over the years.

Poettgen is extremely involved in his community. He has coached long jump and triple jump at Santa Margarita Catholic High School for 15 years, is the president of the Saddleback Alumni Association and has been a member of Rancho Santa Margarita’s Economic Development Committee. Currently, he juggles a full plate, all the while making sure family comes first.

“Some days, I leave the restaurant around 2:30 or so when things slow down, go coach for a few hours and then return to the restaurant to close down. It’s like working a swing shift,” Poettgen explains.

Jim and his family live just minutes from the restaurant in Robinson Ranch; he makes the five-minute commute in a 1973 Ford van he has owned since high school. “Every day is different in this business," Poettgen says. "One day I’m meeting with the health inspector, the next I’m fixing a broken water pipe, the next I’m paying bills. I never know what the day will hold.”

What's unique: Unlike many chain pizza restaurants, Ballpark Pizza Team is truly a family-run place. Jim’s daughter Brittany, 29, currently serves alongside him as manager. She began working for Ballpark at age 12 and graduated from Santa Margarita Catholic High School. She is currently working on her MBA at Cal State Long Beach and enjoys the flexibility the restaurant business provides.

“Today is my birthday,” Brittany announced when I popped in for our interview. “I am planning to come here tonight to the restaurant to celebrate with some of our old employees and a few of our regular customers.” Brittany’s loyalty to the restaurant proves Ballpark has truly become a second home.

Ballpark Team Pizza has supported the community for years with its many fundraisers and team events.  They are also contracted with several schools’ lunch programs, providing pizza to students on campus.  Recent fundraisers include one for, a local boy battling cancer, and , an RSM student at Saddleback College killed in an auto accident a few weeks ago.  “We usually have huge turnouts for our fundraisers,” Jim Poettgen says, once again proving that Ballpark is truly a place for the community to come together.

The restaurant includes four theme rooms perfect for large team parties: soccer, football, golf and baseball.  A quick glance around the restaurant and you’ll see photos of many satisfied patrons over the years. “This is my man cave,” Poettgen says with a smile. “Pretty much everything you see on the walls is what a guy would have in his garage.”

Despite what some may think, local mom-and-pop restaurants are extremely supportive of one another. “If I need something, I can call up one of the guys at , or one of the other local restaurants and they are happy to get it to me,” Jim says. “We all look out for each other.”

Most of Ballpark’s employees are college students, many whom attend Saddleback Community College. “College kids usually can’t get a job for just two months during the summer, but we are happy to hire them for part-time work,” Poettgen says.

He describes Ballpark’s pizza as a mix between Chicago and New York style, crispy on the bottom and tasty to the core. When asked what the most popular flavor of pizza is, Poettgen doesn’t hesitate: “Pepperoni!” He also adds that the Grand Slam Combo, which includes pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, onions, peppers, beef and sausage is always a hit.

WHAT’S NEW:  Many restaurants have seen business slow during this rocky economy, and while Ballpark is no exception, its unique niche in the community has helped it stand out. Currently, it offers several weekly specials including 50 cent wings on Wednesdays and buy one pizza get one half-off on Tuesdays. Their lunch specials are also unbeatable; $2.75 buys a large slice of pepperoni or cheese pizza, while $3.50 will get you a slice and a soda. The restaurant also offers Dippin’ Dots for dessert and a variety of beers and wine. But it’s really Poettgen's love for his community that’s made him a recipe for success—and that's nothing new.