SURPRISE INSIDE. One of the specialties at Blue Marble Express is the Panino, a fried sandwich.

There’s a new pie-tossin’ joint on the block, and it’s serving up slices from an era of the past.

Arriving on scene from the Roaring Twenties, the Blue Marble Express recently opened its doors near Lake Wissota as the hub for specialty wood-fired pizzas. It was a vision that owner and operator Heather Marble, 32, had fostered for years, so when the opportune time and circumstances aligned, she was more than prepared to make it happen.

“It’s always been a dream for my family and I to have a family-operated business that offers fresh food that is bought locally,” Marble said.

In the process of making that dream a reality, Marble wasn’t one to slack on creativity. The restaurant pays tribute to the gangster days of the early 20th century, a period that has long held Marble’s interest.

“I have always been intrigued by the Prohibition Era and how the country developed during that time,” Marble said. “The items on my menu are even named after famous mobsters and bootleggers.”

As an employee in the bar and restaurant business for over 14 years, Marble was able to rack up the knowledge and skills necessary to pioneer an establishment of her own. The entrepreneur knew she had what it took to make her cuisine stand apart from competitors, and with a delicious menu of innovative items, Marble has confidence her customers will receive a satisfactory dining experience.

“We created the Paninos (fried sandwiches or rolls) to have a completely unique type of sandwich in this area,” Marble said. “The same goes with the wood-fire oven. The taste and texture from our homemade dough and fresh ingredients is what makes our pizzas so good.”

But business hadn’t always been a piece of cake (or slice of pizza) for the Marble family. The original intent was to open the restaurant in the Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall building in Lake Hallie, but certain factors caused plans to dissolve and the hopeful entrepreneurs to shift gears. Not one to crumble from adversity, however, the unfortunate situation only further fueled Marble’s determination.

“When the Hallie location fell through it just motivated me more to open my own restaurant,” she said. “But I knew I had to find a new location.”

Thankfully, the owners of the Wissota Express BP soon contacted Marble to grant her permission to use the space to set up shop. The diner now resides in a portion of the building connected to the gas station, allowing for a more expansive flow of business.

With activity at Blue Marble Express now underway, Marble is able to focus on what’s in store for her restaurant in the days ahead. “I hope to expand to a full-size restaurant in the future,” Marble said.

And perhaps someday soon, the Blue Marble Express can graduate from its humble gas station beginnings. But until then, everyone can be sure to get their fill of old-time, wood-fired pies. 

So what’ll it be? Cheese or pepperoni?

Blue Marble Express • 17255 County Highway X (the intersection of highways X and J), Chippewa Falls • Hours: 6am-10pm weekdays and 8am-10pm weekends • (715) 861-5615