Business & brands / Sports / Food
Tom Monaghan
born 1937 · entrepreneur, founder of Domino's Pizza, former Detroit Tigers owner
Ann Arbor–born founder of Domino's Pizza who owned the Detroit Tigers during their 1984 World Series championship.
- Born
Ann Arbor, Michigan
age 89- Birth name
- Thomas Stephen Monaghan
- Detroit years
- 1983–1992
- Field
- Business & brands, Sports, Food
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Monaghan was born in Ann Arbor and spent part of his childhood in a Catholic orphanage in Jackson after his father's death. After a stint in the Marines he enrolled at the University of Michigan, and in 1960 he and his brother bought a small pizzeria called DomiNick's in Ypsilanti for $900. He renamed it Domino's in 1965 and built it, through fast delivery and franchising, into a worldwide chain headquartered at Domino's Farms, a Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired office park outside Ann Arbor. In 1983 he bought the Detroit Tigers, who went 35–5 to open the 1984 season and won the World Series. He sold the team in 1992 to his pizza rival Mike Ilitch. Later he sold Domino's and devoted his fortune to Catholic causes, including Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti and Ave Maria University in Florida.
Highlights
- Bought the Ypsilanti pizzeria DomiNick's in 1960; renamed it Domino's in 1965
- Owner of the Detroit Tigers, 1983–1992
- Tigers won the 1984 World Series under his ownership
- Sold 93% of Domino's to Bain Capital in 1998
- Founded Ave Maria University in Florida
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 3
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Founded · 1960s
Original Domino's (DomiNick's) building
Closed
The pizzeria moved here from 507 W Cross St and took the Domino's name in 1965; the building now houses a burger restaurant.
Founded · 1980s–present
Domino's Farms
The Prairie School–style office park he built and still owns; Domino's world headquarters.
Related place · 1983–1992
Tiger Stadium (site now The Corner Ballpark)
Demolished · 1912–1999
The Tigers' home while he owned the team, including the 1984 title run; demolished in 2008–2009, the site is now a youth ballpark.