Shady Inn, Cat and the Fiddle and Gee’s Jade East are three legendary south-side restaurants that have been lost for future generations to experience. Pizza House avoided a similar fate by taking a chance on Commercial Street.
Established in 1958 by Dorothy “Dee” Smith at Glenstone Avenue and Bennett Street, Pizza House’s thin cracker crust had become a Springfield tradition. However, zoning issues and conflicts with the landlord in 2008 motivated longtime employee and new owner Stacey Schneider to consider other locations. Commercial Street property owner Mary Collette invited her to check out the north-side historic district and shared the C-Street Strategy for Success vision. It called for bringing the railroad boomtown out of the blight of suburban flight and into a new chapter built on lofts, dining, entertainment and live music.
Schneider joined Lyle Foster of Big Momma’s Coffee, Ryan Dock at Lindberg’s and Shawn Askinosie at Askinosie Chocolate as culinary pioneers in C-Street’s revitalization. Together, they formed a firm foundation for an unexpected direction for the future – from the C-Street Strategy’s emphasis on live music to an organic movement toward artisan foods. Today, customers can enjoy Sisters in Thyme and the Artisan’s Oven bakeries, That Lebanese Place, Cafe Cusco for Peruvian fare and White River Brewing Co. craft beer. As well, Eurasia Cafe is a new coffee house scheduled to open in 2014.
Those entrepreneurs were drawn in part by Pizza House’s early success on C-Street. Within its first year, Schneider expanded from one storefront to two as sales more than doubled from its Glenstone site. She invested some of those profits into purchasing the building from Collette-Parker Restoration earlier this year. She also took another major step in the evolution of the business by accepting debit and credit cards to accommodate changing spending habits.
Not only was Schneider a trendsetter on C-Street for artisan foods, but also for women-owned businesses. Now representing the wide variety of women-owned businesses in the district are Alchemy Salon, Decades Vintage Boutique, Ink Ink Tattoo & Piercing Studio, Sisters in Thyme, Professional Massage Training Center, Stacie Bilyeu’s law office, nForm Architecture, Pinup Salon Co., Tame Pet Magazine and Clayton, York & Hopp CPAs.
What are the secret ingredients for Pizza House’s longevity during the past 55 years? Undoubtedly, it has created a distinctive flavor that has become a destination for generations of Springfieldians. Second, the ownership focuses on delivering on what they do well and keeping it affordable for their customers. Finally, Schneider and her staff have created an authentic sense of place that is friendly and a slice of Americana. It’s the indescribable “it” factor is present in iconic Springfield eateries such as Casper’s, Gailey’s and Crosstown Barbecue.
When the C-Street Strategy for Success was adopted, some feared the district would become Springfield’s Bourbon Street. Thanks in no small part to Schneider’s vision and hard work, C-Street is home to international cuisine and a welcoming neighborhood. Pizza House is a tasty reminder that the recipe for business success is a delicate blend of celebrating the past, hustling to satisfy today’s customers and making calculated gambles for the future.
Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, can be reached at rusty@itsalldowntown.com.[[In-content Ad]]
