CODY, WYOMING – A revitalized pizza place in downtown Cody, Wyoming is drumming up good conversation about wildlife etiquette as well as serving up delicious pies.
The owners of Tosser’s Pizza and Beer, Erryne and Ryan Selk, acquired the business in a pretty simple way: by purchasing an existing pizza restaurant along with their real estate business next door as a whole transaction.
But as Ryan explains, they had to change the name in order to keep serving up the same great pizza the previous owners had for years.
Their vibe changed, and Cody residents are loving it. Located at 13th Street and Sheridan Avenue, Tosser’s provides a comfortable atmosphere for families, a date night or spectator sports.
The Selks added their individual décor, opened the space, added pinball machines and kept the pizza recipes the same.
“Everybody likes pizza,” said Ryan Selk. “We just wanted something catchy, and that people enjoyed.
But how they landed on a logo and name is a story worth telling.
Ryan says he came across an image put out on a brochure from Yellowstone National Park alerting visitors that a close interaction with a park bison could potentially be dangerous.
“When they told me the name, I was kind of surprised. And then I saw the logo and I totally get it,” said longtime Cody resident Patty Brooks.
Ryan put the image of a man being tossed up in the air by a bison, alongside a beer and pizza. And just like that, “Tosser’s” was born.
As much as the logo starts good and witty conversation about wildlife awareness, it's also the fresh dough, rolled to perfection each day, that attracts visitors.
Brooks appreciates the cauliflower crust.
“It’s a fun place to come,” she said.
Others like Fred Nannarone, who is visiting friends from Florida, admit the logo is comical.
“Yeah, he gets tossed with the beer. Yeah, that’s good, I like it,” he said.
Cody is considered one of the great gateways to Yellowstone National Park, which is an hour’s drive away. It's where tourists have gotten themselves into trouble in recent years through contact with wildlife, including most recently, when an Arizona woman was gored by a bison in July.
“I think it’s definitely a thing now,” said Ryan, who grew up in Cody and acknowledged interactions with visitors to Yellowstone and wildlife seem to be a much more common occurrence.
“I think it’s easy for people to think it’s a zoo, I guess is the problem, and then they all want to get closer and get pictures,” said Ryan.
In a witty way, Ryan hopes his restaurant branding will lead to a public service announcement for visitors.
“Don’t pet the fluffy cows and don’t get close,” said Brooks.
Ryan says it’s all just in good fun.
‘It just gets it out there much more, the light-heartedness of it,” he said.
