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Roughly four decades ago, New Mexico resident Brian Bailey was delivering pizzas for a Domino鈥檚 in Alamogordo. Now, he鈥檚 delivering directions to teams across 160 Domino鈥檚 locations, making him the largest Domino鈥檚 franchisee in the United States.

Bailey, who lives in Roswell, secured the pizza chain鈥檚 title of largest U.S. franchisee last year with the purchase of 45 Domino鈥檚 stores in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. He officially hit the milestone of 160 stores 鈥� 57 of which are in New Mexico 鈥� with the opening of an additional store in Texas earlier this year.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a tremendous blessing to be able to support our communities across New Mexico and create so many opportunities for others in my company to advance and succeed,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just so grateful to my wife, my family, my team 鈥� their support made all of this possible.鈥�

Bailey grew up in an Air Force family, so his father鈥檚 last assignment at Holloman Air Force Base brought them to the area when Bailey was 14. Alamogordo, his family鈥檚 home ever since, is where Bailey graduated high school and got his very first job washing windows for local businesses.

Bailey鈥檚 journey to Domino鈥檚 started with an ad in the local newspaper in 1985. He was fresh out of college 鈥� he received his electrical engineering degree from the DeVry Institute of Technology in Arizona 鈥� when his job search stalled and he decided to move back home.

When Bailey saw the Domino鈥檚 ad, he didn鈥檛 think much about it, he just knew he needed money to pay off his student loan. He thought he鈥檇 check it out and maybe work there until he found 鈥渁 real job.鈥�

鈥淏ut that interview I had with that local Domino鈥檚 manager, it really just changed the course of my career and my life,鈥� Bailey said.

Bailey said the manager 鈥渄id a wonderful job鈥� of communicating the opportunities he could have at Domino鈥檚, including franchising, and that if he saved up his bonuses, he could have enough money for a down payment on a store in just a few years.

鈥淚 was sold from day one,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know how I was going to do it because I didn鈥檛 have two nickels in my pocket at the time, but I thought, someday, somehow, I鈥檓 going to own a bunch of these.鈥�

Bailey was promoted to store manager 58 days after starting as a delivery driver. He bought his first store three years later in 1988, and by the late 鈥�90s, he was debt-free with a dozen locations.

At that time, Bailey set out to reach 50 stores in five years and met that goal in three years. He then set a goal of 100 stores in another five years and met that goal in three-and-a-half years.

鈥淲hat do you do with a completed goal? You set a new goal,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淲e had three choices once we hit 12 stores 鈥� sell, coast or go big. I didn鈥檛 want to sell, and I don鈥檛 like to coast, so we decided to go big.鈥�

His team was also a motivator, Bailey said, adding that many of the people on his current leadership team have been with Domino鈥檚 for 20 to 40 years and have stories similar to his. Providing those opportunities to more employees is 鈥渢he real engine behind our growth,鈥� Bailey said.

鈥淲hen our team succeeds, their families succeed, our stores succeed and our communities succeed,鈥� Bailey said.

In a statement, Domino鈥檚 Chief Restaurant Officer Frank Garrido said Bailey鈥檚 journey over the years 鈥渟hows what鈥檚 possible through hard work, determination and a true people-first mindset.鈥� 

鈥淗is story is a powerful example of how our core values come to life 鈥� putting people first, doing the right thing, creating inspired solutions, and championing our customers so we can grow and win together,鈥� Garrido said.

Today, Bailey鈥檚 franchise employs more than 3,000 people, roughly 1,160 of whom are New Mexicans. Bailey, who now lives in Roswell, has locations in five states, including Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas. The majority of the locations are in Texas, but Bailey owns every Domino鈥檚 in New Mexico except for those in Rio Rancho and on sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 West Side.

Bailey always knew he wanted a big operation, but the idea of becoming the nation鈥檚 largest Domino鈥檚 franchisee didn鈥檛 seem like a reality until a couple of years ago. The opportunity to secure that title came last year, as Texas-based franchisee Mac Mekonnen was looking to retire around the same time Bailey was planting seeds for expansion.

Bailey said the two connected because of a well-established network between Domino鈥檚 franchisees, and the rest was history. He declined to share the acquisition cost but said the deal was 鈥渁 win-win for both of us.鈥� Now, the second largest Domino鈥檚 franchisee in the country 鈥� Susan Graves, based in Texas 鈥� trails Bailey with 149 locations.

With a large operation comes the challenge of maintaining quality at scale, Bailey said. The larger-than-life venture has required a lot of energy and attention toward building a high-achieving culture of customer service and what Bailey described as excellence across his stores.

Bailey said the larger operation has also given him opportunities to give back 鈥� whether it be the local schools and food banks his franchise regularly donates to or the Domino鈥檚 Partners Foundation, a program providing financial support to employees facing personal hardships. Bailey鈥檚 franchise contributed nearly $250,000 to the foundation last year, setting a record for the program.

鈥淭he opportunities we have been given in life and in business are blessings, and we believe those blessings should create opportunities to help others,鈥� Bailey said.

The growth of Bailey鈥檚 Domino鈥檚 empire doesn鈥檛 appear to be stopping just yet. In full-circle fashion, his organization is getting ready to open another store in Alamogordo this summer.

Bailey said he鈥檚 open to further expansion should the right opportunities arise. But he鈥檚 more focused on preparing and setting the stage for the franchise鈥檚 next generation of leaders to rise and pursue ownership opportunities within the organization 鈥� including some within his own family.

Several of Bailey鈥檚 11 kids and 20 grandchildren have worked for the business. Bailey鈥檚 oldest daughter used to accompany him to a Domino鈥檚 store at age 4, learning to make pizzas while standing on a stool. Today, she鈥檚 the manager of one of Bailey鈥檚 stores. His wife, Michelle, has also gotten involved and is known as 鈥淢rs. Boss鈥� within the organization.

Bailey said his family is 鈥減retty proud鈥� of the pizza empire he鈥檚 created. Wherever the future of the franchise leads, Bailey said family and faith will be at the center.

鈥淲hen I reflect on this journey, it鈥檚 incredibly humbling,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淢y faith has always been a source of guidance and gratitude. I believe that success is never achieved alone, and my wife and I give all the glory and honor to God for the opportunities and blessings that have come our way. We鈥檙e so tremendously grateful.鈥�

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.