Mile High Magazine 08/23/2026 Big Bill's New York Pizza

Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 15:31

Guest: Bill "Big Bill" Ficke Bill's path to owning a pizzeria started with a joke while grabbing a slice of pizza. When the owner mentioned he was looking for a partner for a new location, Bill jumped at the opportunity. A year later, he bought out his partner, and in 1995 the restaurant became Big Bill's New York Pizza. Following the events of 9/11, Bill, a New Yorker himself, opened his restaurant as a gathering place for the community and soon organized fundraisers that raised nearly $70,000 for firefighters and their families. Those efforts became the restaurant's annual Day of Giving, which later shifted its focus to supporting local causes in Denver. After losing his wife, JoAnn, to cancer in 2007, Bill established the JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation, and today Day of Giving benefits six cancer organizations. Each September 11, customers pay what they wish for their pizza, often donating far more than the cost of their meal. Last year, the event raised an incredible $170,000. https://www.jbfcf.org/9-11-day-of-giving.html