By Lexie Owen
Travelling down Second Street just off of Taylor campus, you'll come across a small, white building decorated with a friendly cartoon chef tossing pizza dough. Large red letters announce the name: Toppit, "The only pizza place in town."
John and Cindy Inmann are the third owners of Toppit, having purchased the business and the adjacent house in August 2011. Cindy was raised in Upland and graduated from Eastbrook High School. John was a native of Marion but visited Upland frequently. The two remember many date nights spent at Toppit.
Newly married, John began 20 years of service in the military. His sons, Phillip and Jacob, were born in Germany, and the entire Inmann family has lived in Spain, Alaska, North Dakota and Okinawa. The boys have attended seven different schools, many of them outside the States.
Upon retiring, John and Cindy decided to return to their hometown. While hunting for homes in Upland, they noticed a "for sale" sign in the front yard of Toppit and the nearby house. Fond memories of date nights at Toppit influenced them to consider the idea, and they purchased the business from Tim and Ginny Rice. In perfect timing, this family found both a home and a business.
Having no previous experience with pizza except a brief job at Little Caesars, the Innmans had a lot to learn from the Rices, including the recipes that guaranteed happy customers. While continuing in the traditions of the previous owners, the Inmans revamped and remodeled Toppit. Having kept the original name, the "Rice Family Dining Room" is entirely remodeled. Upon entrance, customers will enjoy an inviting Italian atmosphere with pleasant paintings, comfortable booths and a "fireplace" burning in the corner.
"The total remodel of the dining room really helps," said supervisor Brittany Drake as she helped another employee take a pizza from the oven. "People used to come in and say it looked like a cozy little house. It looks more Italian now. It's a different fun sort of cozy."
Everything from dough to sauce is made from scratch. Quality cheese is ordered in blocks and then personally shredded by the owners. The majority of the vegetable toppings come from Upland's own Victory Acres.
On the menu, not only the same delicious pizza can be found, but also salads, subs and fresh, home-baked pecan rolls. Customers are welcome to participate in the "Trojan Challenge." Named for the famous 30-inch Trojan Pizza, this give away the pie to anyone who can eat it within 30 minutes. A few brave souls have come close, but none have succeeded.
Brittany Drake is the granddaughter of Toppit's previous owners and will complete her fifth year of pizza-serving under the Inmans. She enjoys her new employers and appreciates how they have improved Toppit. "They're very relaxed and easygoing," she said as she welcomed some customers. "They definitely do things differently than my grandparents did, but they've really opened it up to Taylor and the public. They started the delivery service and even deliver to Matthews."
Although customers will see Brittany's familiar face at Toppit, they will also meet many members of the Inman family. Cindy's grandmother, Mary Huffman, and her brother, Ivanhoe's manager Mark Souer can be seen helping out during lunch hours. Her parents, Mark and Nancy, specialize in "Mark's Famous Pecan Rolls." Their sons Phillip and Jacob help whenever they can between class and football practice at Eastbrook High School.
Having returned from serving overseas, the Inmans have dedicated themselves to serving Taylor and the Upland community. Phillip estimates that Toppit makes three or four deliveries to Taylor per night. They offer a 10 percent discount to police, military, Taylor students and staff every day. The only requirement is an I.D.
"They definitely enjoy helping Upland anyway they can, the people interactions, and just making customers happy makes them happy," says Brittany. "They definitely like to give discounts and show the customers that we appreciate them." On Veteran's Day, they will offer free pizza and breakfast to anyone who has served the U.S.
"We just wanted to find a way to honor the military," Phillip said.
Toppit has been serving quality pizza to Upland since 1989. Its third owners have returned with a commitment to ensure the happiness and comfort of their old Upland neighbors. According to Brittany, "They've always been serving and I think they like that he can continue serving in a way that neither of them have experienced before."
