August 2026 | Vol. 6 Iss. 8
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T H E
C I T Y
Davis County
Sp e c i a Food l Editio n
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R
Bountiful Davis Arts Center Summerfest Event celebrates cultures through song and dance
Davis County eyes property
Page 13
Land would be used for permanent housing for the homeless Page 15
From one breakfast cafe to a Utah restaurant empire By Peri Kinder | peri.k@thecityjournals.com What started as an East Coast-style cafe has become a 10-restaurant operation serving thousands.
P
aul Willey has become something of a restaurant magnate in Utah. He and his siblings are celebrating the 15th anniversary of Penny Ann’s Cafe, but he owns 10 restaurants across three brands in Salt Lake and Davis County, employing more than 300 people. The original Penny Ann’s opened its downtown Salt Lake City cafe in 2011 and the family has added four additional locations since then. Willey is CEO; his brother Warren Willey serves as head chef; his sister Cindy Pulley is the service manager and Penny Ann (the restaurant’s namesake) is in charge of customer relations, which includes greeting guests and chatting with regulars. Penny Ann’s started after the family migrated from Upstate New York. They wanted to bring an East Coast diner to Utah, complete with burrito-style omelets, a breakfast counter and a welcoming atmosphere. “You just come in, have a seat whether it’s at the counter, in a booth, or at a table, and enjoy some homemade comfort food,” Willey said. “People in Utah appreciate the value.”
Along with their flagship hot cakes, Penny Ann’s menu includes items like banana bread French toast and strawberry chocolate Dubai hot cakes. The diner has earned Best of Utah and Best of State awards, including Best Breakfast in Utah for 11 years in a row. “We’re a Utah chain. We’re proud to be this Utah story, coming in as transplants and being embraced by the Utah community,” he said. “It’s kind of amazing.” In the summer of 2019, Willey participated in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. As part of the curriculum, he developed a growth plan for Penny Ann’s, but it got him thinking about other opportunities to branch out. He soon became a partner in Mr. Charlie’s Chicken restaurants and in October 2022, he learned the owners of Moochie’s Cheesesteaks, Don MacDonald and Joanna Rendi, were looking to retire. They wanted to sell their business to another East Coast family. Willey was all in, calling it “a natural fit.” “The regional manager with Moochie’s stayed on with us. He’s been with the company now for almost 15 years. That’s a testament to the culture that Joanna and Continued page 7
Cindy Pulley, holding the strawberry chocolate Dubai hot cakes, is Penny Ann’s service manager and the face of the restaurant on social media. (Photo courtesy of Paul Willey)
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