The last Happy Joe’s Pizza restaurant in the Corridor has officially closed its doors.
According to a Facebook post, the Happy Joe’s location at 3315 Williams Blvd. SW has been permanently closed, effective Sept. 1.
“Though we are closing this chapter, the memories we’ve shared will always remain,” the proprietors said in a Facebook post.
Happy Joe’s had been steadily reducing its presence in the Corridor in recent years. The restaurant at 5070 Lindale Dr. closed in late 2021, and the location at 1950 Blairs Ferry Road in Hiawatha closed abruptly in August 2024.
Also, a Happy Joe’s location on Gilbert Street in Iowa City closed permanently after being destroyed by an F2 tornado in April 2006, and a Happy Joe’s at 780 Community Dr. in North Liberty closed in September 2024.
Happy Joe’s, most famously known as the originator of the now-ubiquitous taco pizza and the location of countless childrens’ birthday parties, was founded in 1972 by Lawrence “Happy Joe” Whitty, whose dream was to create a restaurant concept that focused on serving America’s two favorite foods – pizza and ice cream – in a family-friendly, celebratory environment.
In 2017, the family-owned chain was acquired by Dynamic Restaurant Holdings Inc., a Davenport company formed to acquire and expand the Happy Joe’s and Tony Sacco’s Coal Oven Pizza brands.
Happy Joe’s is headquartered in Davenport. The company continues to operate several restaurants across the Upper Midwest, including Iowa locations in Cascade, Dyersville, Maquoketa, and several locations around the Quad Cities.
There are also Happy Joe’s franchises in Arizona and Florida, as well as several locations in Egypt.
Dynamic Restaurant Holdings declared bankruptcy in 2022, though the bankruptcy did not involve Happy Joe’s franchise restaurants.
