Mellow Mushroom
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| Industry | Restaurant Franchise |
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| Founded | 1974 |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Key people | Marc Weinstein, Mike Nicholson, Rocky Reeves Founders Buddy Finethy Creative Director |
| Products | Pizza, calzones, hoagies, salads, beer |
| Website | www.mellowmushroom.com |
Mellow Mushroom is a pizzeria that started in Atlanta, Georgia and operates as a restaurant franchise with over 120 locations nationwide.
Mellow Mushroom specializes in pizza, but also serves calzones, hoagies, salads, and appetizers. Pizza is sold in three sizes, but slices are available during lunch and late night at some locations. Some Mellow Mushrooms deliver; those that do not have a pick-up option. They often feature a large selection of beer, typically 20-40 beers on draft and 50 or more bottles. Each store is decorated differently and sometimes there is a unifying theme to the artwork. [1] Tie-dye and colorful mushrooms are a common theme for locations. Some stores occasionally feature live music, trivia competitions, or bingo. Many of the locations participate in a beer-purchase [[loyalty program]called Beer Club. The franchise aims to give customers a "relaxing yet eclectic dining experience" with "easygoing atmosphere and funky decor" Mellow Mushroom also sells branded merchandise and clothing on their website Mellow Gear and at stores.
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[edit] History
Mellow Mushroom opened in 1974 when three college students founded a business that reflected their eccentric philosophies. They saw pizza baking as an art form, and wanted to bring joy to others by perfecting the art of pizza. The first store was created out of an old liquor store on Spring Street near Georgia Tech. To accommodate the long lines and gaining popularity, more Mellow Mushrooms sprung up around Atlanta. By the late 80's, they opened their first franchise to an existing employee, followed by customer-owned franchises, and then to friends of employees and customers. One by one, the stores sprung up, built on a good idea and a great pizza pie. As our reputation for a great stone baked pizza grew, so did we, and it continues to this day. For 37 years, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has been serving up fresh stone baked pizzas to-order in an eclectic, art-filled and family-friendly environment. Each Mellow is locally-owned and operated with a unique feel focused around customer service and high quality food. [2]
There are several dozen locations operating in Atlanta, and elsewhere in Georgia, Colorado, Louisiana, Indiana, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Arizona, Ohio, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia. Most stores are within the Southern United States, with a high concentration of them in college towns. However in 2011, Mellow Mushroom reached the west coast and opened up in Portland, OR.
Mellow Mushroom started to sell franchises in the late 1980s. The first Mellow Mushroom to be located outside of Atlanta was in Athens, Georgia, near the University of Georgia. That store renovated an old Wendy's and was open until 2006. In the summer of 2007, a new Mellow Mushroom opened in Athens, Georgia on Clayton Street.
Beginning in 2000, Mellow Mushroom has expanded outside of college markets to both urban areas such as Jacksonville and Denver Metropolitan Area. In 2010, the following locations have opened: Johnson City, TN,[3] Germantown, TN, Suwanee, GA, Pigeon Forge, TN, Denver, CO, Hickory, NC, Charlotte, NC, and Wilder, KY. In 2011, the following locations have opened: Washington, DC, Portland, OR, Rogers, AR, Arlington, TX, Cary, NC, Lexington, SC, Fayetteville, NC, Rome, GA, Southern Pines, NC, a second location in Charleston, SC, Tempe, AZ, Dublin, OH, Florence, SC Gatlinburg, TN, Bristol, VA, a second location in Chattanooga, TN and a second location in Charlotte, NC.[4]
As of December 2011, the Mellow locations set to open in 2012 are Greenville, NC, Bowling Green, KY, Mount Dora, FL, Southlake, TX, Louisville,KY, Pooler, GA and a third location in Phoenix, AZ.[5]
[edit] Logo
The visual Identity of Mellow Mushroom Pizza was defined during their early franchising phase by Atlanta artist Buddy Finethy. Finethy created and refined the signature cast of characters that identified the chain. The cast includes "Mel O. Mushroom", his ace sidekick "Dude Shroomington", psychedelic sorcerer "The Wizard", "Melody Mushroom" and the smaller shrooms known as "The Funguys"- Por, Toe and Bello. Finethy also helped refine and stratify the influences that informed the Mellow Mushroom aesthetic.
In 2011 the Mellow Mushroom Logo was redesigned by Buddy Finethy and Dusty Griffin. The new logo features a more refined version of "Mel O. Mushroom" holding a slice of pizza.
[edit] References
- ^ Billotto, Heidi. Mellow Mushroom Restaurant. WSOC TV. 11 June 2003.
- ^ "About Us". Mellow Mushroom. Archived from the original on 2007-10-18. http://web.archive.org/web/20071018035309/http://www.mellowmushroom.com/aboutus.html. Retrieved 2007-10-24.
- ^ http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?ID=73245
- ^ http://mellowmushroom.com/#/locations
- ^ "Mellow Mushroom Franchising - Where We Are". Mellowfranchise.com. http://www.mellowfranchise.com/where-we-are. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
[edit] External links
- Mellow Mushroom website
- Mellow Mushroom franchising site
- Mellow Mushroom Beer Club
- Mellow Gear
- Mellow jobs
