Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
From its brilliant colours and psychedelic artwork to its barely candy crust, Mellow Mushroom stands out amongst pizza chains. With 163 places throughout the nation (primarily within the Southeast), it is exhausting to think about that this enjoyable group began with three college-aged boys with a ardour for pizza. At 76, Mark “Banks” Weinstein is the one co-founder nonetheless concerned within the enterprise — Mike Nicholson and Rocky Reeves retired in 2008 and CEO Richard Brash joined the staff.
I met Weinstein at Mellow Mushroom in Midtown, the place he hugged the supervisor, indulged in a cheese pizza and mirrored on the previous. “We have been hippies mainly making pizza,” he says. “Folks liked the power, the vibe there. A number of artistic folks hanging round and we grew to become buddies. Pizza is a communal meals.”
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
It was the Nineteen Seventies and Weinstein studied enterprise advertising and marketing on the College of Georgia. He supposed to work in actual property, however the recession modified his plans. After studying to make pizza whereas working at a neighborhood restaurant, he secured a small lot in Sandy Springs and commenced constructing a pie store. Across the similar time, he met Nicholson and Reeves, a Georgia Tech pupil who was additionally opening a pizza place — this one at 14th and Spring in Midtown. They determined to affix forces.
Weinstein tweaked a recipe (the identical one nonetheless used right this moment) impressed by Chicago’s Nick DeVito. Nicholson got here up with the title and the trio launched Mellow Mushroom with 5 pizzas, 4 hoagies, a chef salad and a brief menu of beers. “The authorized consuming age was 18 on the time,” Weinstein defined, noting the significance of beer. All the pieces from the meatball sandwich (“nothing greater than a meatloaf minimize into giant items”) to the highest spherical (home minimize) was made to order.
An absence of funds meant that used tools was bought and no furnishings was matched. The founders relied on buddies and prospects to brighten the outlets, typically buying and selling pizza for art work. “We had no cash — simply entrepreneurial spirit and an inspiring following of buddies and folks in Atlanta who liked our merchandise,” Weinstein mentioned. One man designed the menu, one other did the emblem and one other painted the mural on the wall. The beer firm donated the neon signal.
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
Sustainability was a spotlight from the beginning. “We have been a bunch of hippies,” Weinstein says. They develop sprouts in eating places and use pure cardboard pizza packing containers as a result of bleaching them white would hurt the surroundings. At this time, Mello Mushroom boasts all-natural meats, preservative-free cheeses and pizza packing containers with a unfavorable carbon footprint.
How did it develop from two small shops—”Spring Avenue match 19 folks uncomfortably,” Weinstein remembers—to the franchise behemoth it’s right this moment? Natural development, he mentioned. His companions drop out of school and take alternatives for brand new positions as they develop into obtainable. For 12 years, they operated the unique six Mello Mushrooms—together with places in Buckhead, Midtown, Sandy Springs, Avondale Estates, on Buford Freeway and close to Emory—however had problem recruiting. “There have been no cell telephones, and we could not be in six locations collectively,” Weinstein laments. By age 13, he had satisfied his companions to vote. 5 shops have been offered in 45 days. A bidding conflict over the sixth led to the opening of the seventh retailer, and the corporate grew from there.
At this time, there are three corporate-owned shops; Weinstein purchased the Emory location final 12 months to finance much-needed renovations. The flour for every retailer comes from a commissary kitchen at company headquarters. A 75,000-square-foot warehouse recognized for psychedelic artwork and mellow mushrooms. From colourful collectible figurines to mushroom clocks to distinctive doorknobs, Weinstein himself sourced lots of the objects. Whether or not a franchisee is opening a brand new retailer, renovating an current one, or on the lookout for some new decor, they’ll come into the warehouse and choose objects totally free. Mellow mushrooms will even paint them upon request.
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
Today, Weinstein spends half the 12 months working remotely in Thailand. When he is on the town, he nonetheless enjoys a “veg out” pizza each Thursday to “keep younger,” he jokes. He taste-tests new menu objects, assists with high quality management, and permits Brash to handle the day-to-day operations. He has youngsters and grandchildren, but he by no means plans to totally retire. “I believe while you cease, you are going to begin resting [permanently]. So, I simply need to put on,” he says.
It has been 50 years, and though the menu and retailer footprint have expanded, the spirit of Mellow Mushroom stays. To commemorate the golden jubilee, the corporate launched a limited-time menu that includes specials and revived traditional pizzas, honey-Sriracha wings, and a disco peach cocktail made with Jim Beam bourbon, Captain Morgan spiced rum, peaches, recent bitter combine, and coke. . -Cola. There are new pizza field designs, branded cups and t-shirts and presents. Choose places will host a pint evening with collectible fiftieth anniversary pint glasses from June by September.
In early fall, Mellow Mushroom will open a brand new prototype retailer close to Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park. It is a return to the corporate’s roots with a smaller footprint and condensed menu choices. Search for a baked “panizzi” sandwich made with folded pizza dough.
“I nonetheless love pizza,” Weinstein mentioned.
Courtesy of Melo Mushroom
commercial
