For Bob and Judy Fox, retirement meant the chance to start a business.

They recently opened Los Angeles County’s first franchise of the pizza chain Papa Murphy’s in Whittier.

“We weren’t quite ready for the rocking chairs yet,” said Judy Fox, who worked for a local ophthalmologist for the past 30 years while her husband worked as a civilian employee of the Los Angeles Police Department. They’re both 57.

But the Foxes hope to provide more than just pizzas to the community. They’re having a weeklong opening celebration starting Thursday with part of every sale going toward a college fund for an employee, Alexandra Ventura, who will be graduating from high school next year.

Ventura’s mom had worked at the same ophthalmologist office as Judy Fox, who was impressed when she heard how the teen helped her single mom raise her five younger siblings.

“We want to do something of value,” said Bob Fox. “Our goal is to raise $2,000.”

The Foxes got interested in a Papa Murphy franchise after visiting one in Orange County. They loved the company’s “take n’ bake” business model, which provides customers with fresh pizzas for them to take home and bake in their own ovens. So they decided to become owners, taking advantage of the lack of competition.

“Other than Costco, no one in the area does take-and-bake pizzas,” said Judy Fox. And they don’t plan on letting their first restaurant venture become their last.

“We would like to open two more stores with our children eventually taking over,” she said.

– Funmi Akinyode