Who We Are

It all started in 1982, when Jeff Mease was an IU undergrad working for Domino's Pizza. As he rolled corporate dough and spread store-bought sauce, he realized he could make a better product and break the monopoly "Big Pizza" held on the campus market.

Thus was born, with the help of Jeff's partner Lennie Busch, the first Pizza Express. Its from-scratch, by-hand pizza won an instant following, a rare feat for a small business in the quick-serve dining world. Now with five locations (under the new, trademarkable name Pizza X), it remains Bloomington's favorite pizza delivery service nearly 30 years later.

With their first pizza success underway, Jeff and Lennie formed One World Enterprises and started planning a full-service restaurant that would be the first in Bloomington to offer gourmet pizza. The pizza would feature top-shelf olive oil, higher-rising yeast, and a full palette of sauces including pesto, BBQ, and garlic cream. The restaurant's atmosphere would be friendly and cozy, and the menu would offer a mix of eclectic offerings and comfort foods made with the highest quality ingredients.

They opened Lennie's in 1989, hoping its 10th Street location would draw diners attending IU events. Instead it became a destination unto itself, an oasis of Bloomington culture right in the thick of the campus. Lennie’s later made the move to 514 E. Kirkwood Avenue in July 2019. Jeff and Lennie sold Lennie’s to two long time-employees Michael Fox and Samantha Ezzo in July 2023.

Soon after opening Lennie’s, Jeff was bit by the small-brewing bug. The microbrew phenomenon was still in its infancy, but through successful lobbying of the Indiana legislature, in 1994 Bloomington Brewing Company (BBC) became the first commercial brewery in Monroe County and the first brewpub in Southern Indiana. Since then, its unfiltered, unpasteurized, handcrafted ales have won numerous awards and a great many devotees who love both the taste and the intentionally limited distribution. Jeff and Lennie sold Bloomington Brewing Company to Amanda and Jarrod Franklin and partners of Indianapolis brewery Four Day Ray in January 2022.

One World has always been focused on sustainable practices and local sourcing, so the next logical steps were a catering company emphasizing natural and organic foods, and a farm that could provide some of those ingredients for the whole One World family. One World Catering and Events has quickly risen to become a premier catering alternative for those seeking a personalized and memorable event with a fresh, ethically sourced menu. Loesch Farm is home to English heritage pigs, Asian water buffalo, and organic hops that produce an outstanding, one-of-a-kind local brew. Loesch Farm is enabling the BBC to transform into a farmstead brewery, a model common in France and Belgium but seldom seen in the United States.

After sharing a building with BBC for many years, One World Catering moved into Woolery Mill, a National Historic Landmark that formerly served as A.J. Woolery & Sons quarry used for limestone production, in 2018. Newly renovated, our 24,000 sq. ft. event space features a large banquet hall, large industrial kitchen, and expansive patio for events of all sizes. One World Catering is now available at your event or at One World at Woolery Mill.

One of our newest enterprises is a food business incubator called KitchenShare. KitchenShare is a 24/7/365 commercial enterprise with three separate kitchens that can be rented by commercial and non-commercial clients. If you've ever wanted to start your own food business, our kitchens provide you with the opportunity to test your plan without the cost and headaches of creating your own approved commercial kitchen, with access to equipment you normally couldn't afford. We are excited to see what amazing businesses grow out of the One World KitchenShare kitchens. What's your dream?

And finally, One World’s newest addition is Hive. Hive was born from the idea that Bloomington, but especially the east-side, needed an all-encompassing spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The unique menu is based on fresh, fast comfort food with an international flair. Opened in 2018 at 10th and the Bypass, Hive is a counter-service restaurant for a quick, delicious sit-down meal or online for Grab-N-Go. Plus, the outdoor patio is dog-friendly!

The future of One World Enterprises will include continued movement toward greater sustainability and community-sourced ingredients. What it won't hold is any sort of expansion that looks beyond the Bloomington area. We have no desire to get bigger, only to become a more integral, responsible, and valued part of the Bloomington community.