Recipes

Here's the deal: I can't find the book where I came up with the dough recipe. I know what is in the dough, but the measurements I have memorized would make WAY to much dough for you. As soon as I find that book, I will put it up. But until then, if you would like to make dough similar to The Parlor's, just find a simple pizza dough recipe, use olive oil instead of butter or vegetable oil, and throw in a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. That should be close enough to what we made at The Parlor. Now, as for the pizza combinations, they were as follows:

Huffy: Marinara sauce, lots of mozzarella cheese and lots and lots of pepperoni. Put all the cheese down, then the pepperoni. Easy.

Parker: Marinara sauce, mozzarella, green peppers, onions, olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, ham, sausage. Now. You have to put the cheese, then the ham, then the pepperoni, then all the veggies, then some cheese, and then the sausage. It must be done in this order, or else it will not taste as good.

Belle: Marinara, mozzarella, spinach, mushrooms, red onions, olives, green peppers, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. This pizza is SOOO GOOD! And healthy!

Dobrusky: Marinara, mozzarella, lots of ham, lots of pineapple, more cheese, and topped with bacon.

Rasmussen: Alfredo sauce, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, feta, and parmesan. I always put the sun dried tomatoes down first as they tend to get burned if you put them on top.

Red: So so so good. Marinara, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, artichoke hearts, and more cheese. My favorite.

Bex: Also, so good. Mozzarella, garlic, basil, tomato, more mozzarella, and drizzled with olive oil. Very light and refreshing.

Heywood: Marinara, mozzarella, lots of pepperoni, lots of black olives, more mozarrella. I always added green olives when I made one for myself.

Aleman: Marinara, mozzarella, ham, pepperoni, more cheese, sausage, and bacon.

Doxey: Mozzarella, BBQ sauce (any will do), chicken, red onions, and more cheese to top. We always mixed the BBQ sauce with the chicken, and I usually did lots of sauce, because the gooier the better.

Boyer: Mozzarella, buffalo sauce (which is ranch dressing mixed with Tabasco sauce), chicken, red peppers, and more mozzarella. Again, we always mixed the chicken with the sauce, added extra sauce, and then I topped the pizza with more Tabasco before I put it in the oven. Spicy and delicious.

Nokleby: Alfredo sauce, garlic, mozzarella, chicken, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and topped with more cheese. Our most popular.

And there you go! You can make the pizzas at home! It'll be almost as if we didn't even close!

WHY?!?!

I know a lot of people are sad and wondering why The Parlor is closing it's doors. Well friends, we just don't have any more money, and we aren't making any money. We have barely been making enough to get by, and with rent and quarterly taxes due in about a week, the money we do have will be gone. I have talked to lots of banks and even friends to find the money we would need to be sustained for a while until things pick up, but with no luck. That leaves us with only one option, and that is to close. There is an interested buyer who is in the process of getting a loan, and he should be taking over in May or June if all works out (which we'd appreciate your prayers that it does work out).

I ask you all this favor: no pity! Don't feel bad for me or for The Parlor. This was a good experience, and as my grandpa put it, I've learned more in the last seven months running this business then I would have if I had taken business classes. I spent a couple years reading books on business and writing up business plans, but no matter who you talk to and no matter what the books say, you have no idea what you are getting into until you get into it. It has been a long, bumpy, stressful ride and I would be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly relieved to be done. One of the very important things I learned was that owning a business is not my dream job, though I thought it was. I would have regretted not doing it, but now that I've done it, I know it is not for me. I woke up every morning with lots of anxiety, not wanting to look at the bank account, not wanting to face another slow day, not having the energy to deal with whatever crisis would come along. Which is why I ask you for no pity. I am happier now than I have been for a really long time.

Now, for those of you who loved The Parlor and were regulars: bless you! You are the ones that made it last as long as it did. I am sorry you'll no longer have us. I will be posting the dough and pizza recipes on the blog so you can replicate The Parlor at home! No worries! For all the bands and artists that performed or displayed your art in the store: you guys are awesome. You brought me lots of business and that made a difference. I am going to talk to the guy who is buying and convince him to keep doing concerts; I think it is a great way to get kids downtown and interact with the community.

I'm grateful for everyone I've met and the friends I've made. I have been very overwhelmed at the love, service, and support that so many have given in this venture. I'll be working at a call center for the summer, then I'll be moving back home to CA for a while. Then who knows what! Another adventure! Love you all!

-Marie

April Fools???

Hey, it's Marie again. I just want to let everyone know that after some pondering and thinking, I have decided to stay open through the summer. Though the last few months have been rough, The Parlor has been picking up lately so I've decided to give it at least a year, hopefully longer! I'd like to become a Provo staple, so I am asking that you tell all of your friends about us and invite them to like us on Facebook and Twitter. Pretty please!! Also, if you have any suggestions as to how to get people in the store, improvements on recipes, or any other suggestions, please leave a comment!

PS This is NO JOKE!

April Schedule

Hey guys! Time for an update!

Friday April 1st- Gallery Stroll. We will be featuring drawings done by Ellie Parker. Come on Friday and check them out!

Wednesday April 6th- Concert Wednesday with Tighty Willis!

Wednesday April 13th- Concert Wednesday with Archie Crisanto!

Wednesday April 20th- Concert Wednesday with Foxheart!

We will be having a Trivia Night and (at least) two more concerts in April, be sure to check Facebook and Twitter for those dates. Hope to see you sometime this month!

A Word From the Owner

Hi, Marie here. Just want to let fans of The Parlor know that on April 30th, we will be closing our doors. Although those of you who are actually reading this have been very loyal and faithful customers to The Parlor, there are just not enough of you, and we are losing money. I have had to take a second job to get by and have also cut my employees hours and have been working those extra hours, and I'm working myself ragged. I am not telling you this to gain your pity, I just want to explain the reasoning behind our closing. While the restaurant industry is really tough, the pizza business is even tougher, and The Parlor is really struggling. I have found an interested buyer, and so I am taking the chance to get out of it before I get more financially burdened.

Now, all that being explained, I am hoping to make April BIG! We want to go out with a bang! We plan on having a concert every Wednesday in April, beautiful art for the gallery stroll on the 1st, one last Trivia Night, and an awesome closing out party on the 30th. Come hang out with us this month, while you still can! I'll post a schedule on the blog once all the dates have been finalized. Thanks guys! It's been real!

Employee Profile: The Pizza Stud

Here at The Parlor, we are passionate about making good pizza, playing good music, and providing people with a comfortable space to come and hang out. What makes our place extra special, however, are the wonderful employees who take good care of the customers. We would like you to get to know them a little better, so we will be posting about each one of them within the next week. First Spotlight: Jon Boyer aka J Diggity Boyer aka Jon Boy aka PIZZA STUD.

Known as Pizza Stud for his amazing customer service and wondrous pizza making capabilities, The Stud has been working in the pizza industry since he was 12 years old. Literally. His parents used to own a pizza shop and The Stud was there from the beginning. Pizza Stud is a most loyal and reliable employee; always willing to fill in and take extra shifts when needed, The Stud also goes up and beyond by passing out fliers, passing out door hangers, and even dressing up in a Pooh Bear costume and dancing on the street as a ploy to get people into the restaurant. He knows almost everyone by name, and, as he would say, he knows it is important to "charm the customer."

Pizza Stud, loved by all, will be leaving on a mission to Seoul, Korea on March 23 and will be truly missed. On top of being an incredible employee, The Stud is a great friend, full of wonderful words of wisdom, great comedic timing, amazing dancing abilities, and a passion for all things Lord of the Rings. His favorite quote comes from Gandolf: "so do all who live to see such times." The Stud enjoys discovering and listening to good music, Gummies (worms, bears, etc), watching movies, and he especially loves the Ladies. (Older women beware: The Stud is a cougar hunter).

Pizza Stud will be getting his braces off next week, and would love for you to come appreciate his beautiful new pearly whites, so come in and meet him! For those of you who know and love our Jon Boy, stop by and bid him farewell. He will prepare you a pizza filled with love.

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