The build-your-own section of the menu allows diners to mix just about any type of pie imaginable, with base prices beginning at $7.65 for a 10-inch cheese pie and $12.95 for a 16-incher.

While pizza is the focal point, the menu at Glass Nickel features an array of salads, appetizers like hot and cold sandwiches ($6.30), fried fish and shrimp baskets ($9.95 with fries and coleslaw), fried chicken ($8.30 for four pieces and fries) and pasta dishes like lasagna, ravioli, chicken Alfredo and stuffed shells ($8.75 with a side salad and garlic bread).

For Dillman -- a first-time restaurant owner who left a career in sales to work on his own -- managing inventory was another issue during the first year of operation.

"We have a big menu," he said. "Our sandwiches are made of Boar's Head meats, so they are high quality. We've go to keep a lot of high-dollar stuff in the cooler, so inventory control is crucial. The first year was a guessing game, but we've got it down pretty good now."

Madison residents Brian Glassel (GLASS) and Tim Nicholson (NICKEL) opened their first store on Atwood Avenue in Madison in November 1997. There are now seven locations, all independently owned and operated.

In Madison and elsewhere, Glass Nickel has a reputation as a "green" company. Several stores use LED lighting, unbleached pizza boxes, Smart cars and even a biodiesel delivery vehicle that runs on used vegetable oil. Dillman said that the Brookfield location adheres to the corporate philosophy and has plans to expand its green initiatives. "It's part of our three-year plan," he said.

Dillman, who was a fan of the Madison location, said the company was "on his radar screen" when he wanted to leave his corporate job. "My wife is originally from Brookfield, he said. That's the main reason we chose this area."

During the day, Glass Nickel gets much of its business from the office parks that line Bluemound Road. In the evening, most of business comes from local residents.

"We're in Brookfield, but we also hit Elm Grove, New Berlin and Wauwatosa, which has been very good to us," Dillman said. "We even have a nice corner of West Allis that helps us out. We can reach out to many communities in this area."

At night, a lot of Glass Nickel's business comes from nearby hotels.

"When the Cubs were in town, the hotels were full and we were busy," Dillman said. "We try to work closely with the hotels to keep that business going."

As for the resident business, Dillman said that awareness is the key. "We've got a good product and it appeals to almost everyone, from (age) eight to 80," he said. "We just have to let people know we're here."