From restaurant consultant to pizza maker
Joyce Owen
November 7, 2007 11:22 AM
Bryan Pritchett pauses for a photograph with customers' painted pizza pans at Pizza by the Sea. Pritchett and his wife Stacy own and operate both Pizza by the Sea and Movies by the Sea in Seagrove. (Richard Owen/The Sun)
They both continued to work long-distance for their old companies in Dallas while they prepared to open the Movies by the Sea. With the video store open and ties to Dallas cut, Bryan got his real estate license.
In January with the real estate market stalled, the couple decided to open Pizza by the Sea.
Bryan realized with the changes in the economy, not every dinner out for vacationers would be at one of County Road 30A?s fine dining restaurants.
He also hoped to provide a casual place for locals.
?As people change their spending habits, we wanted to have the cheapest place to eat that has good food,? he said.
The restaurant has been a success, Bryan said.
?We added a lunch buffet for $6.99,? he said.
There?s a good mix of vacationers and locals, real estate agents and construction workers, he said.
?Everybody feels comfortable here,? he said.
The pizza store has a similar family-friendly feel found at the movie store. While mom and dad relax over pizza with a glass of wine or beer, buckets of toys, conveniently sold at Movies by the Sea, entertain the kids.
Following the motto, ?Go to your happy place,? for the video store, customers are advised to ?Feed your happy face,? at Pizza by the Sea.
Can franchises be next?
A recent rave review from a customer posted to the popular SoWal.com site gave the Pritchett?s hope that one day they could franchise the concept. The online reviewer lives in Tennessee and said he?d like to open a shop back home.
Bryan said he had not heard directly from the man, but he was open to the idea.
But even though the couple would like to open additional pizza shops, ?We are not ready to let it out of hands,? Bryan said. ?There?s still much to do to get the concept the way we want it. We knew the first year would be tough, especially in the off season. We?d like to take the revenue from the movie store and open a second pizza store,? he said
Joyce Owen
November 7, 2007 11:22 AM
Bryan Pritchett pauses for a photograph with customers' painted pizza pans at Pizza by the Sea. Pritchett and his wife Stacy own and operate both Pizza by the Sea and Movies by the Sea in Seagrove. (Richard Owen/The Sun)
They both continued to work long-distance for their old companies in Dallas while they prepared to open the Movies by the Sea. With the video store open and ties to Dallas cut, Bryan got his real estate license.
In January with the real estate market stalled, the couple decided to open Pizza by the Sea.
Bryan realized with the changes in the economy, not every dinner out for vacationers would be at one of County Road 30A?s fine dining restaurants.
He also hoped to provide a casual place for locals.
?As people change their spending habits, we wanted to have the cheapest place to eat that has good food,? he said.
The restaurant has been a success, Bryan said.
?We added a lunch buffet for $6.99,? he said.
There?s a good mix of vacationers and locals, real estate agents and construction workers, he said.
?Everybody feels comfortable here,? he said.
The pizza store has a similar family-friendly feel found at the movie store. While mom and dad relax over pizza with a glass of wine or beer, buckets of toys, conveniently sold at Movies by the Sea, entertain the kids.
Following the motto, ?Go to your happy place,? for the video store, customers are advised to ?Feed your happy face,? at Pizza by the Sea.
Can franchises be next?
A recent rave review from a customer posted to the popular SoWal.com site gave the Pritchett?s hope that one day they could franchise the concept. The online reviewer lives in Tennessee and said he?d like to open a shop back home.
Bryan said he had not heard directly from the man, but he was open to the idea.
But even though the couple would like to open additional pizza shops, ?We are not ready to let it out of hands,? Bryan said. ?There?s still much to do to get the concept the way we want it. We knew the first year would be tough, especially in the off season. We?d like to take the revenue from the movie store and open a second pizza store,? he said
