Pepperoni pizzas pass along a conveyor belt into a deep freezer where they are flash frozen at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Liz Rymarev, Post-Dispatch
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ST. LOUIS — Rick Schaper would often make pizzas at his Dogtown home for his family and friends, going to The Hill for ingredients. He and his wife, Meredith Schaper, became known for their neighborhood pizza parties.
Owner Rick Schaper pulls out a cart with pizza crusts ready to move to the production line at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026.
From left, general manager Jimmy Nagel, Austin Schaper, Meredith Schaper, Rick Schaper, Ricky Schaper and Shane Schaper pose in the Dogtown Pizza production facility in St. Louis on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Production workers prepare stacks of St. Louis-style pizza crusts to be run through the production line at Dogtown Pizza’s facility in St. Louis on Monday, May 18, 2026. The frozen pizzas are made from scratch, then flash frozen, packaged and sent off to local stores such as Schnucks and Dierbergs.
Production worker Antonio Cushshon places a stack of pizza crusts on a scale at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. Each stack is precisely weighed out, packaged and sent to the production line for sauce, cheese and toppings.
Pepperoni logs stick out from the production line as they are cut and dropped onto pizza crusts at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026.
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A large industrial mixer mixes dough for St. Louis-style pizza crust at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. The dough is made from scratch with flour sourced locally in Illinois.
Production manager Nick Janson stretches his arms during a pause in the production line at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. The pizza crusts are made from scratch in the facility, topped with ingredients, flash freezed, packaged, then distributed to local stores.
From left, general manager Jimmy Nagel, Austin Schaper, Meredith Schaper, Rick Schaper, Ricky Schaper and Shane Schaper pose in the Dogtown Pizza production facility in St. Louis on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Production workers prepare stacks of St. Louis-style pizza crusts to be run through the production line at Dogtown Pizza’s facility in St. Louis on Monday, May 18, 2026. The frozen pizzas are made from scratch, then flash frozen, packaged and sent off to local stores such as Schnucks and Dierbergs.
Pepperoni pizzas pass along a conveyor belt into a deep freezer where they are flash frozen at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Owner Rick Schaper pulls out a cart with pizza crusts ready to move to the production line at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Production worker Antonio Cushshon places a stack of pizza crusts on a scale at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. Each stack is precisely weighed out, packaged and sent to the production line for sauce, cheese and toppings.
Pepperoni logs stick out from the production line as they are cut and dropped onto pizza crusts at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026.
A large industrial mixer mixes dough for St. Louis-style pizza crust at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. The dough is made from scratch with flour sourced locally in Illinois.
Production manager Nick Janson stretches his arms during a pause in the production line at Dogtown Pizza’s production facility in St. Louis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. The pizza crusts are made from scratch in the facility, topped with ingredients, flash freezed, packaged, then distributed to local stores.
