BOZEMAN — Audrey's Pizza, a Bozeman institution known for its cracker-thin crust and hand-drawn boxes, is preparing to close its doors later this month after nearly nine decades of serving the Gallatin Valley.
The pizza shop's origins trace back to the 1940s. During World War II, flour rations forced the original owners to get creative, using whey instead of flour — a workaround that accidentally created the iconic cracker-thin crust the restaurant is still known for today.
In 1960, Audrey Anderson began working at the shop, and two years later, she purchased it, turning the small pizzeria into a community staple. Anderson built a loyal following among Bozeman residents, Montana State University students, and employees, treating them all like family.
WATCH: 🍕 Audrey's Pizza is closing May 30 after nearly 90 years in Bozeman. Will its legacy live on?
For anyone who lived in the Gallatin Valley between the 1960s and 1990s, Audrey's was the backdrop for first dates, jukebox songs, and late nights over pizza.
The shop eventually closed for 15 years before Steve Schlegel and his family brought it back to life, tracking down Anderson's original ovens and equipment to restore the experience.
"So it sat there for a while, we purchased her original ovens, a bunch of her original equipment, and put all that back together, and it was embraced by the community so much we needed a bigger spot," Schlegel said.
The revival outgrew its original space, and in 2018, Audrey's moved to its current location, pairing with Freefall Brewing.
Now, after years of memories and millions of slices, another goodbye is coming. Schlegel said people are flying in from across the country for one last meal.
"So we've got four or five couples that are flying in from Chicago, Florida, Denver, to have their meal here again, maybe for the last time," Schlegel said.
The reason for closing comes down to a prior commitment.
"Why are we closing? You know we made a commitment for another project a while ago, and we just can't keep putting it off," Schlegel said.
Schlegel said Freefall Brewery will move to the Story Mill Grain Silos. A potential buyer for Audrey's had been lined up, but the deal fell through.
"We had some folks that were going to take over the businesses... but then at the last minute they weren't able to do it," Schlegel said.
Audrey's will continue cutting slices and drawing faces on boxes through May 30, and Schlegel said he hopes the right person is still out there to carry the legacy forward.
"We are just looking for somebody that will actually take on her legacy and continue it, and not exploit it but actually take care of it," Schlegel said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
