Tacoma Police Officers Open Pita Pit Franchise In DuPont

DUPONT, WA — After serving 20 years with the Tacoma Police Department, Josh Boyd pulled the plug on his law enforcement career and began considering what he'll do with his life for the next 20 years. Not content with simply retiring, Boyd, 45, remembered a sign he saw a couple years back advertising Pita Pit franchises in the area.

A longtime fan of Pita Pit's fare himself, Boyd began contemplating the possibility of opening a franchise of his own that he could share with his wife Shelbie and their family. On Monday, Dec. 10, the Boyds' hard work and entrepreneurial ambition will come to life when they open their doors for the first time at 1175 Center Dr. in DuPont.

Speaking to Patch on Thursday, Boyd said he would visit Pita Pit in Tacoma all the time while working as an officer with TPD. So when he saw the sign for a franchisee opportunity, before considering any other restaurant options, Boyd jumped on it, knowing he'd establish the restaurant in his hometown of DuPont.

"There was a learning curve, going from law enforcement to running a business," he said. "But it was just a perfect fit."

Helping him with the day-to-day is his wife Shelbie Boyd, who is also an officer with TPD and whose family has a long history in DuPont. Shelbie, "an integral part of getting the business up and running," will continue her law enforcement career and spend her off time helping at the restaurant, Boyd said.

No stranger to managing a team, Boyd said his previous experience as a sergeant in the force and as a crew leader with the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves will help him run a tight ship at Pita Pit; though he admits supervising officers will be "a little bit" different than managing his teenage employees.

With four kids of his own, ages 5, 10, 17, and 20, Boyd hopes his fathering abilities will help him out.

Boyd also said his time in law enforcement has given him a better understanding of the struggles some felons have in finding employment, noting that he won't rule out offering positions to individuals who may otherwise struggle to find employment after incarceration — a known factor when evaluating the risk of recidivism.

"I've learned a person's past doesn't necessarily dictate their future," Boyd said. "I've also seen people who realize they've made mistakes are often more driven to do better."

Of course, hiring such individuals would be handled on a person-to-person basis, he said.

Another aspect of Boyd's previous life that may integrate into his new role will be his favorite Pita Pit meal, he said, noting a buffalo chicken, spinach, tzatziki and feta pita may end up as the restaurant's first special menu item — though Boyd admitted he never gave it any official name.

"I'll have think about that," he said.

Perhaps his new customers can offer a few suggestions.

With construction finally wrapping up, the Boyd's first Pita Pit franchise will open Monday, Dec. 10, at 10 a.m. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting event will be held Friday, Dec. 14, at 12 p.m.

The restaurant's regular hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, or to see the Boyds in action during construction of their first Pita Pit, visit them on Facebook.

Image via Shelbie and Josh Boyd