Puget Sound Pizza managing partner and General Manager Martin Osborn gives the lowdown on the popular pizza and karaoke joint since he and Shannon Stragier took over ownership last December.

"One thing we've done is go way greener," Osborn says, referring to a new dishwasher that uses 20,000 or so fewer gallons of water per year. Like a proud papa he talks of efforts to decrease impact on the local environment. "Our recycle program kicks ass. All those huge cans and boxes? They get recycled," he adds.

Osborn also reports PSP has gone from a big dumpster to one garbage can, and they're only filling it once a week. "I realize this isn't making a huge impact now, but I'm doing it for the future," he says.

At a recent meeting, Osborn made sure staff was down with his recycling program, especially since it means a little more work involved as the pizza joint moves forward. Osborn chuckles, "Their 'Hell yeah, we're doing this!' was a surprising response."
Osborn and Stragier reach the six-month mark of PSP ownership this month. Osborn has much hope that the little triangle of the world his pizza restaurant calls home will quietly become a destination area.

"Sometime between right now and our eventual deaths, McMenamins is supposed to be moving into the Elks. That should pretty much explode the Triangle District/Opera Alley/Stadium District/Theater District/Downtown area. Mad synergy," he says.

[Puget Sound Pizza, 317 S. Seventh St., Tacoma, 253.383.4777]