our struggle

[waltertore]

Posted this on local foodie sites and our FB and IG sites. 

We have been experiencing much confusion from new customers as to why we are often sold out of dough. We understand this and hope this clarifies why we do what we do.   
Our approach is to present a world class pie with great customer service.  To do this I shop for produce every day. I hand pick through cases and cases from various sources to find the best items we use.  I do not have it come in on a truck delivery because the guy packing it simply loads the item on the truck. Then it may sit for hours before it gets to us and with the heat of the summer, cold of the winter, the produce often suffers damage.
I make all the dough/preps/and bake every pizza.  This ensures every item is done to my specifications. Judy, my wife, mans the phones, register, salad, does the books. This ensures our customers will get a consistently friendly/caring experience.
We are committed to a level of food consistency and customer service that you will be hard pressed to find today. To do this we are at the shop all hours. If we are not there, we are not open.
Believe it or not I work 5 days a week, to be open 9 hours a week. 
We are senior citizens and have to respect our age and physical wellbeing, thus our limited hours/amount of dough. We suggest you call starting at 3pm to place an order for pickup starting at 5pm. People also stop by during service hours if dough is sold out for the day and place an order for another day/week.
Having unlimited pizzas, be open 6-7 days a week for lunch and dinner, is what our culture has become accustomed to, but to do this our quality, customer service, and consistency would result in the norm for food today, and that is not in our DNA.  Thank you to everyone that has supported our approach over the years. We view you all as friends/family.  Reno has been a wonderful place to live and run a pizzeria 🙂
http://www.smilingwithhopepizza.com/

[Dobber1]

 

[waltertore]

I hear you. We lived in Austin for 10 years and when its gone, its gone.  BBQ has it down but pizza and most all food styles are not there   We sell out every night and go from 5-7:15 just about every night.  New customers, and ones that have traveled from hours away, are the ones that struggle with it.  Even if they are nice about it, they don't get why.  The nice ones are enjoyable to explain it to as they are ok with it. Not being is a super hip food city where this more likely to happen/be accepted, sometimes get challenging. 

[loch]

When I was a young kid sweeping up in a bakery, one of the bakers told me that the really hard thing to learn as a baker is that, as the day comes to an end, you want to be out of things to sell.

Dave

[waltertore]

When I was a young kid sweeping up in a bakery, one of the bakers told me that the really hard thing to learn as a baker is that, as the day comes to an end, you want to be out of things to sell.

Dave

I like that.  I grew up with real bakeries, not the safeway, whole foods like thing.  They were run by generational master bakers.  I learned a lot from them.  People would come in everyday for an armload of things.  They always sold out too, usually by noon.  People lined up at 7am to assure getting what they wanted.  Times have changed.  Back then mothers stayed home and raised 6 or more kids a little over a year apart.  They would be the ones going to the bakeries.  When the 2 parent working thing started the grocery stores started selling baked goods.  That was a major blow to the stand alone bakeries in the suburbs.  Today there are far and few between great stand alone bakeries outside big cities.  BBQ, bakeries, get the sell out every day thing. Pizzerias are not there for the most part.

[norma427]

Walter,

I usually ran out of dough too.

Norma

[waltertore]

Walter,

I usually ran out of dough too.

Norma

Norma: I bet your customers sure miss you and your pies. 

[foreplease]

I like that.  I grew up with real bakeries, not the safeway, whole foods like thing.  They were run by generational master bakers.  I learned a lot from them.  People would come in everyday for an armload of things.  They always sold out too, usually by noon.  People lined up at 7am to assure getting what they wanted.  Times have changed.  Back then mothers stayed home and raised 6 or more kids a little over a year apart.  They would be the ones going to the bakeries.  When the 2 parent working thing started the grocery stores started selling baked goods.  That was a major blow to the stand alone bakeries in the suburbs.  Today there are far and few between great stand alone bakeries outside big cities.  BBQ, bakeries, get the sell out every day thing. Pizzerias are not there for the most part.

Although I live 600 miles away, I have been to this bakery in Clarksburg, WV many times. Crusty bread and pepperoni rolls - if you want anything else we don’t have it. Actually, I’ve only been on Sundays so it could be different throughout the week. This guy didn’t seem like the type to have a suggestion box! 

[waltertore]

Although I live 600 miles away, I have been to this bakery in Clarksburg, WV many times. Crusty bread and pepperoni rolls - if you want anything else we don’t have it. Actually, I’ve only been on Sundays so it could be different throughout the week. This guy didn’t seem like the type to have a suggestion box! 

I have heard of that place.  When we lived in central Ohio one of my Italian co-workers was from W Virgina.  Her mother made pepperoni rolls in the 1940'60's in their house every morning.  The coal miners walked by their house every day on the way to the mines and would buy them.  She taught me how to make pepperoni rolls.  We don't have a suggestion box either.  If you dig what we do and dig what you, we got a good thing. If not go somewhere else.  Opening your own business is a lot of work and if you are going to turn it over to letting the customers dictate your life why did you open it?? 

[Dobber1]

Might as well take this thread further off course…

I spent many allowances at this bakery…🍩🍪

[foreplease]

I have heard of that place.  When we lived in central Ohio one of my Italian co-workers was from W Virgina.  Her mother made pepperoni rolls in the 1940'60's in their house every morning.  The coal miners walked by their house every day on the way to the mines and would buy them.  She taught me how to make pepperoni rolls.  We don't have a suggestion box either.  If you dig what we do and dig what you, we got a good thing. If not go somewhere else.  Opening your own business is a lot of work and if you are going to turn it over to letting the customers dictate your life why did you open it??

I was kind of the same way working on athletic fields. I’d usually have to go to one meeting upfront where I would tell them:
- I’m used to having 2-10 acres to myself at all times
- one of my faults is when people ask me what I think, I believe they really want to know


I had a web site with no contact information. I only had time to do so much. To get my cell number or e-mail address you had to contact someone else I had done work for. It was usually obvious when I was on a job as many took me 3-4 months. I had several hangouts where I did volunteer work too. Some found me that way.

[waltertore]

I was kind of the same way working on athletic fields. I’d usually have to go to one meeting upfront where I would tell them:
- I’m used to having 2-10 acres to myself at all times
- one of my faults is when people ask me what I think, I believe they really want to know


I had a web site with no contact information. I only had time to do so much. To get my cell number or e-mail address you had to contact someone else I had done work for. It was usually obvious when I was on a job as many took me 3-4 months. I had several hangouts where I did volunteer work too. Some found me that way.

Cool you did it your way!

[jkb]

No point complaining if you're selling out.

[waltertore]

No point complaining if you're selling out.

Not complaining. Just never realized some people will get very upset over it and tried to explain why we sell out.