From the Boss Himself, Pt. II - 9/12/2008
I hadn't planned to post a blog, as I'm a pretty private guy who doesn't like to explain myself. But after an onslaught of calls, emails, and whys?, I felt maybe I needed to set the record straight about why the restaurant is closing. I know that there has been a lot of speculation going around and loyal customers and staff seem to feel deeply hurt by this decision.
I wanted to first say that the whole 5 year experience of owning the restaurant has been a wonderful and scary roller coaster. It's very similar to raising kids. You have a baby. You love and nurture it but at the same time that perfect little child that you planned and hoped for can also make your life all the more difficult and challenging! It can be incredibly rewarding and at the same time terribly stressful. This decision, like a lot of difficult decisions, had many factors. First you have the rent and food costs going up, then you have the whole parking lot across the street thing, and who can forget the economy downslide, but honestly the biggest part of this decision had less to do with those things and more to do with me personally.
When I started the restaurant I was young, single, and close to my target demographic. Now I'm married with two kids and live pretty far away from where I work. I saw my dream of the restaurant I envisioned come into fruition and grow into something even bigger. Now I'm ready for life's next challenge. I'd like to be present at my kids' soccer games and actually "be present" and not worrying about the call I'll surely get about the broken freezer, credit card machine mayhem, and well, you know what I mean. So I made the decision to take a few years off and enjoy my family, with the thought that in a few years I may open up a similar concept a little closer to home. So as much I'd like to thank those of you with offers of buying it, franchising, etc., I would also like to respectfully decline.
Christopher Pizza Company was a place where people were family, and you just can't replicate that. So to quote some cheesy(no pun intended) 80's movie, I'd like to say that "This is not Goodbye", just "See You Later".
Chris
I wanted to first say that the whole 5 year experience of owning the restaurant has been a wonderful and scary roller coaster. It's very similar to raising kids. You have a baby. You love and nurture it but at the same time that perfect little child that you planned and hoped for can also make your life all the more difficult and challenging! It can be incredibly rewarding and at the same time terribly stressful. This decision, like a lot of difficult decisions, had many factors. First you have the rent and food costs going up, then you have the whole parking lot across the street thing, and who can forget the economy downslide, but honestly the biggest part of this decision had less to do with those things and more to do with me personally.
When I started the restaurant I was young, single, and close to my target demographic. Now I'm married with two kids and live pretty far away from where I work. I saw my dream of the restaurant I envisioned come into fruition and grow into something even bigger. Now I'm ready for life's next challenge. I'd like to be present at my kids' soccer games and actually "be present" and not worrying about the call I'll surely get about the broken freezer, credit card machine mayhem, and well, you know what I mean. So I made the decision to take a few years off and enjoy my family, with the thought that in a few years I may open up a similar concept a little closer to home. So as much I'd like to thank those of you with offers of buying it, franchising, etc., I would also like to respectfully decline.
Christopher Pizza Company was a place where people were family, and you just can't replicate that. So to quote some cheesy(no pun intended) 80's movie, I'd like to say that "This is not Goodbye", just "See You Later".
Chris
7 Comments:
Love on that family brother!
You are SOOO doing the right thing Chris! While you can't make everyone happy, you certainly have far more responsibility to your family than to those of us who have enjoyed your pizza. Take it from a couple who is living where you will be in...oh...about 20-something years, you will have plenty of time for the other "stuff" later on. The cool part of that is you'll be able to enjoy the other "stuff" with your adult kids as some of your best friends. We are doing that now and I wouldn't trade a single day of staying home in the early years for any amount of money, power or fame.
You're a good father and husband Chris. We're proud to call you friend.
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Well put my friend! Good stuff! Thanks for the great Red Hots this week. Maybe one more trip next week for one last morsel until you do it again!
And from one dad to another, there is NO greater time than the time spent with your young ones! I would not trade the world of riches for the moments I get to hang out with my babies!
Enjoy yours!
Ray Carman
Okay. I give in. I can't argue with those reasons. But I can still lobby for the see you later being in Denver so we can enjoy it!
Love ya man! Thanks for TONS of great pizza, but more than that, thanks for good times and the family atmosphere you speak of above.
Look us up when you come to Denver!
NashvilleStandUp.com used to do a few comedy shows at Christopher Pizza.. "A Slice Of Comedy" we called it. It was a lot of fun. I'll definitely miss the place.. but as the father of a 5 year old, I totally understand. Good luck with everything, guys.
I can't let you go without saying that Christopher Pizza was, without a doubt, my most favorite pizza restaurant ever. I ran the Country Music Marathon this year, and for the last 10 miles, all I could think about was going to C-Pizza for my very own Red Hot pie [I believed I'd earned it!].
Sure enough, my family, friends and I celebrated the completion of my first marathon at Christopher Pizza.
I'm so sad to see the place go, and even more sad that I can't offer to buy it! But I respect what you're doing and the direction you're heading.
Please let me know when you decide to open up another place. I'll drive the distance.
Thanks for great pizza, and I wish you the best for you and your family.
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