Among the homes on 26th street, and directly between Sioux Falls’ two rival colleges Augustana University and University of Sioux Falls, sits Sunny’s Pizzeria.
Owner Jon Oppold opened the shop in December of 2019 after living in the neighborhood for 10 years with his wife Katy and their French Bulldog, Sunny.
While walking Sunny, Jon noticed the laundromat occupying the space and thought, ‘It could be something way cooler.’
Eight years later, it did become something way cooler. Sunny’s Pizzeria was open for business.
Jon said he was drawn to the location due to the fact that it could become a neighborhood pizza place, one that wasn’t in the middle of a business district or a strip mall.
“you don’t stand out unless you do something out of the ordinary.” -jon oppold
“You really get a flavor of the city when you have neighborhood spots, and it’s important to have a place for local people to congregate,” he said.
The shop boasts a rotating specialty pizza menu, as well as some fan favorites with punny titles like Oink! There It Is!, Mac N’ Cheese Louise, Augie Blues, and BB-Coo Chicken.
Customers can also build their own pizza to their liking, as well as order a beer or a slice of garlic cheesy bread.
Originality has always been important to Jon, and the former graphic designer had been continually frustrated that the corporations he worked for in the past would take the zing out of his marketing ideas.
“They would take out the part that made it pop because it was the risky thing,” he said.
More on the Menu
» Pepperoni Playboy
Sunny’s sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, pepperoni pizza rolls, & sriracha drizzle.
» Pickle Me Timbers
Ranch, mozzarella, bacon, pickles, banana peppers, green peppers, tomatoes, bread crumbs, & basil pesto drizzle.
» Liu Kang Bicycle Kick
Sweet chili sauce, mozzarella, chicken, green peppers, onions, pineapple, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, & sriracha drizzle.
» Honey & the Beaze
Honey BBQ, mozzarella, chicken, bacon, pineapple, green pepper, & hot honey drizzle.
» My Big Fat Greek Pizza
Basil pesto, mozzarella, chicken, onions, tomatoes, black olives, feta crumbles.
Jon revealed that a driving force in opening Sunny’s was having the ability to market in the fun and zany ways he always wanted to.
“If you don’t get comfortable with getting weird, your marketing isn’t going to work the way it should, because the whole point of marketing is getting attention,” said Jon.
The shop now boasts a multitude of these weird marketing tactics, which are not only about bringing people in, but also about sharing the space and simply having fun.
For example, Jon transformed the pizza shop’s only bathroom by covering the walls in stickers and putting up a rotating disco light.
“I decided if it’s going to be a small, dumpy little bathroom, we should at least make it fun,” he said.
“WE EXIST ON THE KINDNESS OF OTHERS, SO IT’S GOOD TO RECIPROCATE.“ -JON OPPOLD
Jon invites customers to contribute to the fun by adding their own stickers to the bathroom wall.
Yet customers aren’t the only ones who get to enjoy and participate in the restaurant’s identity. Employees also get to collaborate on the restaurant’s rotating menu.
“Twice a year we shut the whole place down and we hold what I call a ‘Try It Night,’” said Jon.
Employees submit their recipes, and Jon cooks for them and their families. Afterward, the staff votes on the pizzas, and the top-ranked pies take their place on the specialty menu.
“It’s fun to try wacky stuff and things that you don’t expect, and it’s a collaborative effort for the pizzas, which gives the staff ownership over the menu,” said Jon.
PICTURE PERFECT
Sunny’s interior is covered with photos of customers’ dogs. Jon will hang any photo but says he gives preference to the funny ones.
This year, some of the winners included the Wonton-Amo Bae, which sports cream cheese, bacon, jalapeños, and raspberry drizzle.
Another victor is the Leggo My Pizza, which consists of maple syrup, hot honey, sriracha, chicken, bacon, and pieces of belgian waffles.
But Jon says Sunny’s is about way more than just pizza.
“Being a locally owned place, I have a lot of connections in the community, and it’s cool to be able to support people’s sports teams or have benefits for people who have fallen on hard times,” he said.
This year, Sunny’s will be going on its fourth year in business. Jon remarked that he has learned something new each year and that it is rewarding to continually give back to the community.
“It’s nice to be able to support local initiatives when we’ve had so many people support us,” he said.
Last year Jon held a competition to create a mural on the restaurant’s wall. After 17 submissions, Jon settled on local artist Wyatt Dickson’s idea to paint a Sioux Falls Wall of Notability mural.
“I picked Wyatt’s design because I wanted it to have a local flavor, be socially shareable, and I wanted it to be something that had staying power,” explained Jon.
Every year Oppold and Dickson nominate a notable figure from Sioux Falls to add to the wall, and Sunny’s throws a party to celebrate. This year’s honoree was Phil Shreck, chief meteorologist at Dakota News Now.
“Dogs are just more lovable than people because they’re always happy to see you.” -jon oppold
Though Sunny passed away in February of this year, his likeness lives on in the logo, in photos, and on the mural.
“He was just a goofy little smushy-faced guy who hung out,” said Jon, explaining why the pizzeria takes Sunny’s name.
“And honestly, the dog is cuter than me,” he admitted.
In June of this year, Jon opened The Orion Pub downtown, and he spends his days between the properties, saying that he is very happy to be doing what he loves.
For Jon, it’s all about freedom to do business on his own terms, as well as being able to provide a shared space for his community.
“Sunny’s isn’t just owned by me, it’s owned by the people that live in proximity. This is our home pizza place,” he said.
