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Community Big Part Of Former Franchisee’s Recipe For Success
Rush Earman knows pizza.
After 36 years of working with Domino’s Pizza, he’s had his fair share of hand-tossed dough, cheese and marinara sauce, and toppings.
For the past 27 of those years, he’s been the franchisee of the chain’s store in Lexington – and a familiar face to many.
Throughout his time at the store on Jefferson Street, Earman has supported fundraisers, provided pizza lunches at schools and sporting events, maintained sales throughout a pandemic, and has cultivated a strong partnership with the local community.
On Sept. 6 of last year, Earman decided it was time to pass the torch - or pizza cutter, in this case - and sell his single-store franchise.
“The old guys can still do it, but it’s about time for me to let these younger guys who are 25 years younger than me to do it … We finally got to the point where we said we didn’t know if we could continue working at the level we were working at … We understood it was time to let some young people come in and give us a hand,” he said.
Earman began working with Domino’s in Roanoke in 1986, but he hadn’t always worked with pizza. Before starting with Domino’s, he worked as a fashion merchandiser in his hometown of Harrisonburg. From scarves and brooches to shoes and shirts, Rush could throw together an outfit for just about anyone.
Being a motivated student and child of hardworking parents, Earman wanted to move up the employment ladder. At that time, Domino’s Pizza was expanding and Earman liked the idea of quick upper mobility, he said. He took the management job at a Roanoke Domino’s and never looked back. From there, he moved among various branches. He managed Lexington’s store from 1988 to 1989 before transferring to a Domino’s in Charlottesville – “the Mecca of pizza” at the time, Earman said. He worked in Charlottesville for seven years before purchasing the Lexington store.
Prior to Earman’s involvement, the Lexington Domino’s was struggling, he said. The former franchisee walked out on the store, opening the door for Earman. Earman left his management position in Charlottesville in 1996 and built the Lexington store from essentially the ground up as the store was in shambles following the abrupt departure of the previous owner.
This move for Earman came with its fair share of challenges. Soon after leaving his job in Charlottesville, Earman’s only son was born in August while the legal process of the store’s purchase was still being finalized. Earman was unemployed as he and his wife Susan were waiting to move into his store. This stage didn’t conclude until November 1996.
“It was nutty! That was one of the toughest times,” he said of being without a job for seven months and with a newborn. “We got it [the store] open and had pictures with the newspaper. We did the great, big grand opening thing. We even had pizza eating contests – all the goofy things to get open – and here was my wife running around with this tiny, little infant, so yeah, it’s definitely the long game.”
Rush and Susan actually met through Domino’s Pizza while working in the same store. They remember the hustle and bustle of the early days when the chain’s “30 minutes or less” slogan was a scary command. Those busy nights prepared them for even more demanding nights at their own
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