Dec. 27, 2023

The return of pizza and pasta to The Empire Mall lasted three months.

Fat Kid Pizza closed just before Christmas, but owner Cody Sauers of Salem said he’s looking for another location in Sioux Falls.

It’s the latest concept from Sauers and his wife, Amber, who started Fat Kid Filly’s as a food truck in 2020 and expanded into concessions at venues in the area. Fat Kid Pizza opened in September in the food court, serving pizza by the slice and whole pies, along with a few pasta dishes.

Sauers said he decided not to sign another lease for the space, which has been home to a couple of other locally owned restaurants since Villa Italian Kitchen closed in March 2020.

“We started through the busiest time, and if it was this busy year-round with a guarantee, it might be worth a risk,” he said. “After the holidays, there was just too much risk to keep it going.”

He envisions a new location for Fat Kid Pizza with a grab-and-go concept like Little Caesars, noting “pizza does really well in Sioux Falls.”

After starting the concept with premade products, “we honed in with homemade dough and sauce. … We honed in on a delicious slice of pizza.”