New Owners at Tasty Pizza North: A Pequot Lakes Staple Stays Put

Every small town has a restaurant that feels permanent, and in Pequot Lakes that place is Tasty Pizza North. When the news broke in June 2026 that the pizzeria had new owners, the important detail was who they were: three Pequot Lakes families, buying the business from the founders who had run it for decades. For anyone considering a home here, that kind of handoff matters, because it shows how the town takes care of its own institutions.

Who bought Tasty Pizza North?

The purchase was made by three local families, the Knudsens, the Von Banks, and the Laugens, who bought the pizzeria from founders Bob and Mary Peterson in June 2026. The new owners have been clear that the recipes are not going anywhere and the familiar faces are staying, a promise regulars noticed and appreciated. Tasty Pizza North has been serving the Brainerd Lakes Area since 1990 from its Highway 371 location, which makes it one of the long-running dining anchors on the corridor through Pequot Lakes.

What does the change mean for customers?

Practically nothing, which is exactly the point. Same recipes, same staff, same spot on the highway. What changes is who is behind it, and for a town like Pequot Lakes that is a vote of confidence. The buyers are not outside investors; they are families who live here and chose to keep the business local rather than let it drift.

Local businesses are investing in Pequot Lakes

Tasty Pizza North is not the only local business making moves. Crow Wing Kayaks, the kayak sales and rental outfit, relocated its primary location to Highway 371 in 2026, putting paddling trips closer to the corridor traffic and to the lakes that make this area famous. When a town's established restaurants and its recreation businesses are both investing in the same stretch of highway, it is a sign the local economy has real momentum behind it, momentum that comes from people who live here, not just from visitors.

Why it matters when you are house hunting

Dining is one of the quickest ways to judge a town's health. A restaurant that changes hands every couple of years usually means a town struggling to hold customers. A restaurant bought by local families who keep the same recipes is the opposite signal: it means residents eat there regularly, support it through the seasons, and want it around for the next generation. Those are the same dynamics that support community life and property values.

If you are weighing Pequot Lakes, the Pequot Lakes community guide covers the town and the lakes around it, and our dining roundup profiles the newer spots on the scene. Or schedule a call and we will talk through what the town's next chapter looks like for you. Cheers!