New Pizzeria, Empire Slice, to open in downtown Stillwater in May

Mar. 20—New York is coming to Stillwater by way of a pizzeria house, Empire Slice, which should be staffed up and operating, serving NYC-style pies and slices at a walk-up counter and in the restaurant, by mid-May.

Empire Slice is another new culinary venture with Cory Williams and his groups, and owner/operator Rachel Cope and the 84 Hospitality Group in the downtown Stillwater area. The new restaurant will be next to the Stonecloud Brewing Company on Husband Street.

Williams, former Oklahoma House Representative (D-34), attorney and Stillwater business owner, has been one of the drivers in helping develop downtown Stillwater by putting in places people want to go to for fun and enjoyment.

Recently he opened the restaurant Hatch, between the City of Stillwater and the courthouse, near the round-a-bout. Since the opening late last year, Hatch has proven to be busy and successful, bringing more people and cars into an area that has been significantly less-trafficked for years.

Williams owned a few of these buildings downtown — old warehouses and the building where Hatch is — and he created his own company, Upside Hospitality.

"Empire Slice is a regional concept eatery," Williams said. "Rachel Cope and her group own the restaurant and have six across Oklahoma. There is both an Empire Slice House and an Empire Slice Shop, the difference being the Shop has only walk-up counter service."

Stillwater is getting an Empire Slice House, Williams said, which will be a full-service restaurant with a bar where patrons can get pizza by the slice, and large pies and alcoholic beverages.

"She has the best gluten free crust in the State," Williams said. While not a chain, the Empire Slices all have similar menus and similar décor. This one is getting ready for business and already has a general manager and assistant manager on board.

"I'm excited to have another owner/operator that cares about the fabric of the community," Williams said of Cope and her group. "The community has really supported them. Rachel cares about returning value to Stillwater."

"When considering our next expansion location, Stillwater became an obvious choice due to its revitalization of the downtown area," Rachel Cope said. "We've always felt that it would do great in college towns, due to our affordable price point and approachability for not only students, but the full time population as well."

"The community has been so welcoming every step of the way. We look forward to finding ways to be part of events and support local needs as we try to do in each city we are located in."

Williams said they will be hopefully taking advantage of City economic development and infrastructure funds available to businesses that add property value, jobs and taxes for the City, and the groups recently asked the City Council for $450,000 of these funds.

We should have a response on that request by next week, Williams said.

"The developer gets a percentage of the funds available, and then the City gets a percentage of sales tax back from the businesses over the course of years in return," Williams said.

Taxpayers should understand the distinction of where the pots of money come from when the City goes to help new businesses in development and re-development, Williams said.

The City is not choosing to help pay for new businesses with taxpayer dollars over funding things like infrastructure or municipal projects — essentially businesses can be augmented by monies set aside and the City is paid back through what the businesses earn.

These monies when returned can then be used to fund other City projects, for example, Williams said, like public parking.

"I love standing in Hatch and looking out and seeing all the life around there. Stillwater has really turned a corner on the part of economic development," Williams said.

"There are now some fun business success stories we have in Stillwater where it's a partnership with the City," Williams said.

"I think everybody is trying to pull in the same direction," Williams said of all the construction going on in the City center, both public and private. "If you're stagnant you may as well be going backwards."

Empire Slice will have its signature slices, salads, whole pies and a full bar seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week, and until midnight on the weekends.