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Pizza place in downtown Steamboat has new owners

Frances Hohl Steamboat Today
Bryan Baker and Murphy Frywald show off their new pizza oven as they get ready for the grand opening of The Corner Slice in Old Town Square in downtown Steamboat Springs this weekend
Frances Hohl

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — No more than a few months after sweeping into town to take over the iconic Tap House in downtown Steamboat Springs, the new owners have taken on another restaurant.

Bryan Baker and Murphy Frywald bought the old Colorado High 5 located on the upper floor of Old Town Square at 635 Lincoln Ave.

The newly named Corner Slice had its soft opening last week but will hold its grand opening St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

“We’ve got some great staff, two guys from the Brooklyn area with some old family recipes,” Baker said.

As the young, 20-something owners contemplated snapping up the old High 5, they found a deal on a commercial Montague oven, known for its great pizza and bread baking.

“This one specifically has a stone interior, which adds a great heat,” Baker said. “It makes a huge difference in the pizza crust. You can’t get that with what they used to have in here.”

They’re also slowly changing up the restaurant space while perfecting their pizza.

“The goal was to make it a little more homey and welcoming to families and kids,” said Murphy.

“Not so much nightclub,” added Baker.

“We felt it had a confused identity, so we’re opening up the dining space,” Baker explained. “You can grab a quick slice or watch a game. We wanted a fun mountain vibe with great pizza.”

In the meantime, Baker and Frywald are still concentrating on improving food and kitchen space at the Tap House as they get ready to makeover both properties.

They’re also doing a little homegrown marketing, sending out pizzas to friends and other service workers to get the word out about their New York-style pizza.

“We also kept pricing affordable here. We wanted to make sure the locals are appreciated and taken care of,” Baker said.

The two are also doing a paired sponsorship with Triple Crown baseball, hoping to get the word out this summer about the updated restaurants.

“The style of food for both restaurants (Tap House and Corner Slice) go well with that event,” Baker said.

The Corner Slice will continue to have a full bar with draft beer, wine and drinks, along with a menu of calzones, subs, salads and appetizers.

They also hope to open up the Corner Slice to local musicians who want to showcase their talent.

Currently, the Corner Slice is open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. weekdays and will open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

“Late night food is hard to find in town,” Murphy said. “We want it to be a community gathering spot.”


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