One active family with all the toppings

Caro Johnson, an active mom who owns four pizza restaurants with her husband, never misses a chance to see her daughters shine

name
Caro Johnson

family
Husband: Andrew (Andy)
Kids: Luna (senior), Hailey (seventh-grader)
Pet: Daisey (coonhound)

neighborhood
Oakwood Hills, Eau Claire

background
When her business isn’t serving up pizza, Caro Johnson is serving the community. Caro Johnson and her husband, Andy, own four Toppers Pizza locations in the Chippewa Valley. Caro – that’s short for “Carolina” – came to the Valley from Lakeville, Minnesota, in 1991 to attend UW-Eau Claire.

She graduated in 1995 and the next year married her husband, Andy. The couple got in on the ground floor as franchisees of Whitewater-based Toppers, opening their first location in what is now Bowl Winkles in 1997. The couple pride themselves on creating a strong team culture among their workers. And, with their two daughters, Luna and Hailey, they’ve created a tight-night family culture: “I think they only time we don’t take the kids to whatever we are doing is if the kids are not encouraged to come,” Caro says.

Luna will soon graduate from Memorial and head to UW-Madison to study evolutionary biology and studio art, while Hailey is a seventh-grader who enjoys show choir and track at South Middle School. Caro has made it a point to be involved in her daughter’s schools. “I do believe that together we build the next generation,” Johnson says – and she’s put that philosophy into action by volunteering on numerous school committees, including the Falcon Advisory Council at South, the school district’s Parent Advisory Council, and the Demographic Trends and Facility Planning Committee, as well as serving as the copy-room helper at Memorial.

We love the Chippewa Valley because it is a strong community that has everything we need. I like that you have the ability to get lost in nature or enjoy crafted creations by local establishments. I love that the teachers and school support staff are invested in creating the very best next generation ever. I like the pace, I like the people, I like the area.

I couldn’t live without my husband and my kids followed by my extended family. Right below that would be caffeine and the Internet.

I make sure to never miss opportunities to sit in the audience to cheer for our girls and meetings with our team members.

My family has taught me that with discussion and honesty all problems are surmountable.

I never leave the house without my phone and the car key. Can’t get far without the key to the car and I feel pretty lost if I don’t have access to my phone.

Our typical weekend is for family. My parents and a few members of Andy’s family live in the Twin Cities, so we often travel there to enjoy lunch and the afternoon with them. If we are not traveling the girls are busy with friends both online and in the real world. Luna enjoys hanging out with her friends at Acoustic Cafe and Hailey enjoys biking and playing video games.

In the summer, you’ll find us at or doing ... At the beginning of the summer we attend the annual National Toppers Pizza Convention. The location changes each year and this year it is at Wisconsin Dells. We also travel for a reunion with Andy’s family.  

My husband always laughs at me because I have no concept of numbers. Whenever I try to talk numbers, I get lost in the decimal points and commas.

My husband would say my super power is smiling and bringing energy into a room.

My kids will tell you that their mom is pretty OK. She has the tendency to be a helicopter parent, but she is usually pretty OK.

If I could pass on one bit of advice it would be that attitude is the difference between adventure and ordeal.