Franchisee Spotlight: Ron Heial and Gary Nolan, Owners of 13 Philly Pretzel Factory Locations

Each week we highlight some of our Philly Pretzel Factory franchisees. Today, Ron Heil and Gary Nolan , Owners of 13 Philly Pretzel Factory locations, are in our franchisee spotlight.

Locations: 11 locations in Pennsylvania and 2 in Jersey

132 S. 11th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

1500 JFK Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19102

1600 JFK Bvld
Philadelphia, PA 19102

1839 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

34 W. Lancaster Avenue
Paoli, PA 19301

625 MacDade Blvd.
Folsom, PA 19033

608 Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

700 Baltimore Pike
Springfield, PA 19064

2500 W. Chester Pike
Broomall, PA 19008

1015 E. Baltimore Pike
Media, PA 19063

1532 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

373 Egg Harbor Road
Sewell, NJ 08080

1010 Cooper Street
Deptford, NJ 08096

Something Interesting About Ron Heil and Gary Nolan’s Story…
Founding Philly Pretzel Factory was exciting for Dan DiZio and his buddy Len Lehman not just because of its eminent success, but also because it allowed them to turn their college friendship into a successful business partnership. When they started franchising, Dan and Len were able to employ some of their other close friends from college, including Ron Heil, one of their fraternity brothers. Ron would go on to be a very successful franchisee, opening five Pennsylvania locations on his own and six more with his friend, Gary Nolan. Ron and Gary also opened two more locations in New Jersey, for a total of eight joint locations. Their success has inspired them to expand even further: the duo plans to eventually co-operate up to 12 locations in the area within the next few years.

What Ron Heil and Gary Nolan Did Before Philly Pretzel Factory…
Before they got into the pretzel business, both Ron Heil and Gary Nolan had quite a bit of work experience. Ron was a high school teacher and a coach, while Gary was the manager of a family-owned construction company, a position he still holds today. In fact, while Ron tends to his other franchises, Gary splits his time between the family contracting business and the Philly Pretzel stores.

Why Ron Heil and Gary Nolan Love Being Philly Pretzel Factory Franchisees…
Ron and Gary love being Philly Pretzel Factory franchisees because it allows them to enjoy daily interactions with customers, not to mention the chance to forge business partnerships with their friends. Furthermore, they stand behind their product, and have a great time doling out their delicious pretzels.

Community Involvement…
Community involvement is knit into the very fabric of Ron Heil and Gary Nolan’s franchise. With their delicious pretzels and their friendly, laid-back atmosphere, they have earned quite a loyal following, especially in the Philadelphia area, where the company was born. They’ve won numerous awards since opening their first joint pretzel shop in 2005. Ron and Gary continually donate to schools and sports teams, and strive to give back as much as possible to a community that has always supported them, helping Philadelphia live up to its reputation as the city of brotherly love.