MOD Pizza opened in downtown Spokane today.

The first 52 people in line received a free pizza or salad and the chance to win free pizza for a year. Doors opened at noon.

In a news release about the grand opening, MOD said it was donating 100 percent of today's pizza sales at the new store to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest.

MOD stands for made-on-demand. Customers can customize pizzas, which are cooked quickly – and until crispy – in 800-degree, gas-fired ovens. They’re all 11 inches and cost $7.47, except for the plain cheese pizza, which is $1.50 less, and the pizza salad, which is $2 more.

The Bellevue-based pizza chain was started by a couple in 2008. Today, MOD has more than 60 stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington – with more coming soon across the country. Another 100 stores are slated to open by the end of the year.

The downtown Spokane store is at 707 W. Main Ave., a prime corner spot formerly occupied by Madeleine’s Café and Patisserie. The French-inspired café and bakery has since reopened on the same street two blocks to the east.

Another MOD Pizza opened in spring on Spokane’s South Hill at 3104 E. Palouse Highway. Still another opened this summer in Coeur d’Alene at 2824 N. Ramsey Road.

On the Web: http://modpizza.com. Call (509) 570-0433.

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