Yard Sale Pizza has carved out a distinctive niche in London’s pizza scene since their conception now a decade ago. Born from backyard pizza parties in Homerton, the brand’s name pays homage to its humble beginnings and the sense of community that has always been central to its identity. Founders James and Nick transformed their love for handmade pizza into a thriving business, maintaining a neighbourhood feel that resonates with their customers and defines their brand ethos. UNCLE partnered with them as we align with a deep connection to the streets of London, that being a driving force of the work we do in the city.
Their latest collaboration with designer SportsBanger marks the 10th year anniversary for the brand. Their partnership has culminated in the limited edition drop of merch that reps the brand with a stylish flair thanks to the creative instincts of the London fashion mogul. This has been paired with our campaign on the streets that hit the likes of Shoreditch, Peckham, Hackney, Clapton and Soho hard to honor the legacy of neighbourhoods Yard Sale Pizza began in. Both the clothing drop and the posters feature slogan ‘Self Made’ to further highlight the unique point of view the brand have cultivated.
We caught up with their team to talk toppings, takeout and the tipping point of their success. The interview also highlights their thoughts on the pizza life cycle and why getting everything right makes the difference as well as touching on their heritage and how London played a role in who they have now become.
TELL US ABOUT HOW THE NAME YARD SALE CAME TO BE?
We initially started out throwing pizza parties for our friends in the back yard of our house in Homerton we were living in together at the time, from a handmade pizza oven, so it’s inspired by those early days and the neighbourhood feel that’s always been so important to us and the brand.
WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM THE COMPETITION?
We put so much love and energy into pushing to make our pizza the best you can get delivered in London, we deliver every pizza by hand through our in-house delivery service, and we hope our collaborations and branding are amongst the best around.
HOW HAS BEING AN INDEPENDENT START UP INFORMED THE BRAND’S DEVELOPMENT?
We always put people first and have learned the importance of the team around you in building a business like ours. We’ve always been community and local at heart and by staying independent, we’re still driven by the same values and run by the people we were when we started out with that handmade oven in the back yard.
COLLABORATIONS WITH BIG NAMES ARE INTEGRAL TO THE BRAND, WHAT ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS?
There’s been some amazing ones over the years, but bringing NYC pizza chef Frank Pinello over in 2018 was a special one!
COMING UP IS A COLLABORATION WITH SPORTSBANGER, GIVE US THE DETAILS?
When it came to celebrating 10 years independent, our London roots and team, there was no-one we wanted to work with more. We’ve released an extremely cool and super limited release of bomber jackets and tees (available via our website now), plus a re-design of our delivery driver jackets, moped boxes and pizza boxes for the month too.
WHAT IS THE MOST POPULAR PIZZA YOU OFFER?
The classic Marg will always be number one…but our Holy Pepperoni has been on the menu since day one and never been far behind.
ANY TOPPING COMBINATION IDEAS THAT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION?
We’ve had some very special pizzas that very sadly haven’t made it out the development kitchen…but never say never.
HOW DID LONDON PLAY A ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YARD SALE?
London has always been part of our DNA – we both grew up here and we always wanted a brand and team that reflected the city. Whether it’s the football teams, the streetwear culture or the pizza scene which we now count amongst the best in the world, London has always informed the spirit of the brand.
WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO FOCUS ON CERTAIN NEIGHBOURHOODS IN LONDON?
We’ve always wanted to be where people live, both in terms of being a delivery-focused business and in terms of wanting to feel like a part of what people loved about their neighbourhood. We started in Hackney as it’s what we knew, but as we’ve expanded over the city there’s been a similar spirit, support for independent businesses and love for pizza that we’ve found across the capital.
DO YOU SEE THE BRAND EXPANDING BEYOND THE CITY?
Absolutely. It’s definitely part of our plans for the future, but we’ve got a ton of neighbourhoods we’d love to open in London first!
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YARD SALE?
We’ve had a huge month celebrating our 10th birthday – especially with our collaborations with Bleecker Burger and Sports Banger – but we’ve got some exciting plans coming up for the Men’s Euros kicking off in June, and another shop opening in September. More to come!
