Longtime Ripon pizza parlor ‘finally’ opens Modesto location. Here’s why people love it
“Finally,” exclaimed Don Sahagun, who works at Safeway on McHenry Avenue, as he walked through the doors of Gold Dust Pizza Express on Thursday morning. “I don’t have to go to Ripon anymore.”
“I’ve been waiting for so long because I love the one in Ripon,” said a Marshall’s employee who was the first customer on the second day of the pizza shop’s opening.
The Willey family, of Ripon, on Wednesday opened its fifth Gold Dust Pizza location — this one in Modesto.
The restaurant, at 3440 McHenry Ave., apparently was highly anticipated. It’s nestled between Guitar Center and Marshall’s on the southeast corner of Sylvan and McHenry avenues.
Customers who visited Thursday said how excited they were that the family finally opened a Modesto location, shortening the drive to their favorite pizza spot.
“Everyone’s always said, ‘You guys need to come to Modesto,’” said Jeremiah Willey, the son of Gold Dust founder Bob Willey. “We felt like Modesto would be a good spot to do the (Gold Dust) Express at, because a lot of people are going to be coming by after work.”
Gold Dust Pizza Express has slight differences from the other Gold Dust Pizza locations — in Ripon (established in 1984), Sutter Creek (2011), Oakdale (2015) and Copperopolis (2017).
It’s a smaller restaurant focused on takeout and delivery, though there are six bar stools and four tables for dining.
Orders can be placed in store, by phone at 209-422-6777, online at golddustpizza.com, or through the Gold Dust Pizza app. There is a rewards program as well as promotions and discounts on the app, Jeremiah Willey said.
Other things unique to Gold Dust Express are a fig and prosciutto pizza and a couple of new chicken wing flavors.
What sets Gold Dust apart from other pizza shops?
“We definitely load up the pizzas,” Jeremiah Willey said. “If you don’t like a lot of cheese or pepperoni, you should probably ask for light cheese or pepperoni.”
Aside from the seemingly endless pizza toppings, attention to detail is a priority for the Willey family business.
Bob Willey moved to Ripon from Long Beach in 1984 and opened Pizza Plus in the heart of the small town’s downtown area the same year.
The five restaurants have since been rebranded to Gold Dust Pizza to better reflect the family’s vision, Jeremiah Willey said.
“When you look around, you see all of the gold and (the restaurants) have that old-school, almost Gold Rush-type feel to them,” he said. “So we really wanted to tap into that with our name, too.”
Tiffany lights adorn the ceilings, and gold highlights are seen throughout all of the buildings. Vintage National cash registers are set up at each spot.
In addition to the decor, Jeremiah Willey said the restaurant’s work environment sets it apart from others. They train all employees to be punctual, prepared and properly dressed. The family also strives to foster an environment of success for younger employees.
“We take pride in training high school students and working with them and trying to teach them not just how to make a pizza but also qualities that they’re going to use later in life,” Jeremiah Willey said.
The attention to detail doesn’t stop at the decor or employee training. “Our dough recipe goes back over 40 years,” Jeremiah Willey said. “We shred our own cheese still. We cut our own produce still. When people taste (our pizza), they taste fresh ingredients.”
On the menu, you will find piled-high pizza pies, colossal calzones, wings, sandwiches and extra-cheesy breadsticks. Pizza by the slice is served weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The restaurant also serves beer. The Willey family partnered with Persuasion Brewing to create a Gold Dust American Blonde Ale that’s been served on draft and in cans at all Gold Dust locations since July.
The beer can label and the Gold Dust Express menu were designed by Modesto artist Greg Gallep.
Branching out of the pizza business, the family opened Ice Cream Emporium in 2020 and Falcon’s Lair in 2022 — both in Ripon.
Each of the Willeys’ three children play their part in the family businesses. Jeremiah Willey runs all five Gold Dust operations, Katie Willey does the social media and marketing and Hannah Willey is in charge of Ice Cream Emporium.
Mom Moe Willey is the visionary and dad Bob Willey is the big boss, Jeremiah Willey said.
Gold Dust Express is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. One of those days, Jeremiah Willey said hopes his favorite actor, Modesto’s Jeremy Renner, stops by.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 8:35 AM.
.jpg)