By Bob Cox, Mountain Valley News staff
Casey Yarnell was the first person through the door when Carl Coonce opened up for business on a recent Friday morning. Why would she be the first to order and stand and wait for a pizza at Crazy Carl’s in Olathe? “Because it’s yummy,” is her simple reply.
Yarnell is not alone. Crazy Carl’s Pizza has become one of the most popular businesses in downtown Olathe since the establishment opened last November.
Coonce, who is a former police officer, homebuilder, handyman and tow truck driver, says he saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.
“The building had an existing pizza place and the owner passed away,” says Coonce. “A friend of mine owned the building and convinced me to go open it up as a pizza place again.”
“I think Olathe has been in danger of falling off the map, and I think Olathe is a town worth saving,” Coonce says. He explains that his small business adds to several other small businesses on Main Street and that the businesses give the town life.
Coonce hand flips the dough for every pie. He and his wife handle the business without much other help, but Yarnell says she could change that if Coonce ever decides otherwise. “I would love to work here," she says.
Coonce’s claim to fame thus far is his huge 24-inch “Girdle Buster” pizza, which he says can serve from 8 to 10 people at a reasonable price.
“The Girdle Buster is becoming popular. We sell a lot of them. People have come to realize that they can serve 10 people for 32 dollars, and that is not bad,” he said.
Looking at a finished 24-inch pizza brings to mind the old I Love Lucy episode in which Lucy, in one of her famous “disguises”, comments on the size of a meatball, only in this case she would have to declare “Thatsa one a bigga pizza.”
Crazy Carl’s is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a few exceptions. Delivery is available, but the real experience is to wait in line with the high school students that routinely walk the short distance from the school to get a quick lunch, one slice at a time.
