Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream to Open in Texas by Late 2027

Happy Joe's Pizza & Ice Cream is entering Texas for the first time. The Davenport, Iowa-based chain signed a multi-unit franchise agreement with BB3 Hospitality Co. to open several locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, with the first store expected in late 2027.

BB3 Hospitality is led by Jeremy and Elizabeth Aune. Jeremy grew up eating Happy Joe's in the Quad Cities, where the brand was founded in 1972. Elizabeth said conversations with Tom Sacco, the chain's president and chief happiness officer, convinced her the concept was the right fit for the family's next business.

"Seeing BB3 Hospitality Co. sign on for multiple locations across Dallas-Fort Worth is exactly the kind of momentum we hoped for when we opened up Texas for development," Sacco said in a statement. "DFW is one of the fastest-growing markets in the country, with the population growth and family demographics we look for, and a family like the Aunes is who you want carrying that torch into a new state."