Upper Crust Pizzeria
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Jordan Tobins |
| Fate | Bankruptcy declared in 2012; acquired by Quabbin Capital in 2013 |
| Headquarters | Boston metropolitan area , United States |
Area served | United States (Boston metropolitan area and California) |
Key people | Anthony Ackil (CEO) |
| Products | Pizza, fried chicken |
| Parent | Quabbin Capital (partial ownership by Streetlight Capital Management since 2020) |
| Website | uppercrustpizzeria |
The Upper Crust Pizzeria is a U.S.-based pizza franchise operating five outlets—four situated in the Boston metropolitan area and one located in California.
History
Established in 2001 by entrepreneur Jordan Tobins, the inaugural Upper Crust venue was launched on Charles Street within Beacon Hill. From 2002 until 2012, co-owners Josh Huggard and Brendan Higgins played active roles in the business. The brand grew to encompass 14 sites, including franchised units, cultivating a dedicated clientele prior to declaring bankruptcy in 2012.
In 2013, Quabbin Capital, a Boston-centered private equity group specializing in consumer products and manufacturing sectors, acquired the enterprise. Between 2017 and 2019, RJ Dourney, formerly CEO of Così, was at the helm of Upper Crust. In 2020, Quabbin divested half its ownership to Streetlight Capital Management. Anthony Ackil, a partner at Streetlight and current CEO, rejuvenated the company by reinstating classic recipes and introducing fried chicken items to the menu.
As of January 2025, Upper Crust maintains outlets in Beacon Hill, South End Boston, Brookline, Lexington (Massachusetts), and Beverly Hills (California).
Controversies
An investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor between 2007 and 2009 revealed that Upper Crust compensated hourly employees at their regular rate for overtime hours worked. This led to an order mandating payment exceeding US$341,000 in overdue wages to 121 staff members. A follow-up inquiry commenced in 2010. In July of that year, two former workers initiated legal action accusing the company of unlawful wage deductions, paying below minimum wage standards, and retaliating against those who lodged complaints. The company refuted these allegations, labeling them as extortion attempts. Nevertheless, in 2012, ex-CFO David Marcus testified that Upper Crust engaged in a scheme involving forged checks and wage reductions to recover previously awarded wages. Marcus himself had faced charges related to financial improprieties and entered into a plea deal that included this testimony.
In December 2010, a former operations manager filed a retaliation lawsuit after reporting wage violations to the Department of Labor. By 2011, reports emerged that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was investigating Upper Crust for purported illegal immigrant employment and labor law breaches. This sparked boycotts from labor organizations; however, the company denied any misconduct and faced no formal charges.
In 2012, co-owners Joshua Huggard and Brendan Higgins brought suit against founder Jordan Tobins for allegedly misappropriating over $750,000 of corporate funds for personal use, including purchasing a small aircraft. Tobins was subsequently placed on administrative leave. It later surfaced that Huggard and Higgins owed Tobins upwards of $1 million in unpaid royalties. The dispute was resolved in August 2012 with Tobins paying $250,000 to Huggard and Higgins while assuming partial responsibility for ongoing litigation and investigations in exchange for rights to the Upper Crust brand name. Following this settlement, Huggard and Higgins redirected funds intended for ZVI Construction toward personal expenses and took control of several Upper Crust locations throughout Massachusetts and Washington DC.
Later in 2012, Huggard’s and Higgins’ company filed for bankruptcy and shuttered all its outlets. UC Acquisitions—a private equity firm associated with Tobins—purchased certain locations from the bankruptcy proceedings. The Harvard Square site was acquired by attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan—who had represented employees during litigation—and reopened as Just Crust pizzeria with partial employee ownership until its closure in 2018. Since UC Acquisitions assumed control, numerous franchisees have distanced themselves from the brand. By April 2013, Tobins or UC Acquisitions operated locations in Beacon Hill, Brookline, Lexington, South End Boston, Watertown, and Wellesley.
Jordan Tobins subsequently resolved all outstanding legal issues related to Upper Crust including employee wage arrears and tax obligations within Massachusetts.
External links
- Pizza chains in the United States
- Restaurants founded in 2001
- Dining establishments in Boston
- American businesses founded in 2001
- 2001 establishments in Massachusetts
- Companies that entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- American companies established in 2001