Mark’s Pizzeria adds bar, dining area to Medina location

Photos by Tom Rivers: Brian Christiaansen, owner of Mark’s Pizzeria in Medina, sits in the new dining area that he opened last week for Mark’s at 549 Main St.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 December 2019 at 7:17 am

MEDINA – For 22 years, customers at Mark’s Pizzeria in Medina could stop by 549 Main St. for pizza – on the go.

The business last week now has a dining room, and owner Brian Christiaansen also has added a bar, the first Mark’s franchise with beer and wine.

Christiaansen had major renovations done on the side of the building for the bar and dining area. He wanted to create a sports bar atmosphere. He has five large flat-screen televisions on the walls, and will be adding historic images of Medina in the dining area.

The Mark’s Pizzeria will soon have improvements to the façade with gooseneck lighting and a sign for the dining area.

“I always wanted a bar and I love the pizza business,” he said. “This is the best of both worlds.”

Brian Christiaansen pours a drink at the bar, the first in the Mark’s franchise to serve beer and wine. Christiaansen had the space gutted and totally redone, and added five flat-screen TVs on the wall.

Christiaansen, 48, has owned the Medina location for 22 years. He also owns Mark’s in Albion and Newfane.

He said he is a very social person who welcomes the chance to get to know his customers better with the bar and dining room.

He purchased the building about 1 ½ years ago from Lance Mark. Before tackling the dining room and bar, Christiaansen had the kitchen for the pizzeria totally redone. It was closed for two months from April to June so new ovens and kitchen equipment could be put in, as well as heating and air conditioning. It was redone from the floor joists to the rafters.

Now it’s a steady 70 degrees in the kitchen, regardless if it’s a hot summer day or frigid winter evening.

“The crew is very happy,” Christiaansen said about his 25 employees.

Chris Marquart serves two slices of pizza at Mark’s, which put in new kitchen equipment and ovens in a major remodeling for the pizzeria, when it was closed for renovations from April to June. Marquart is co-owner of the Mark’s in Newfane with Christiaansen. Marquart and his father Dave did the remodeling work for the dining area for Mark’s in Medina.

Christiaansen lives in Medina. He and his wife Lisa are heavily involved in the community, including with their children’s youth sports teams.

He sensed the dining option would be a nice addition to the Medina downtown.

“People are looking for a nice place for a quick bite to eat,” he said. “People can come in and sit down for a slice and a soda.”

Christiaansen said he enjoys the fast pace of the pizza business, and the energy of his employees, many who are teen-agers and young adults.

“I enjoy working with the younger people,” he said. “They keep me young.”

Mark’s is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Return to top