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Dear friends,
Pizza Brama is closing.
We have gotten to know you and your children. Some of you like arugula put on your pizza at the last minute… others want it wilted. No garlic for some; others can’t get enough garlic and spice. “Extra crispy please!” “Get the good cheese pizza, Mom.” We have relished it all.
When we started, your children could not see above the counter. Later they loved to watch us make their pizza. In the last two years, a few have applied for positions with us in our tent. We are honored and humbled.
Yes, I, Michael, am physically okay. No health issues. (Many have checked in to make sure I am okay. Thank you.) Financially we are fine. 2019 was a banner year. The core issue: the business has been to some degree a runaway success. So much so that it has run away to a place I am not suited to lead.
I started the company because I wanted to devote myself to crafting a product that would delight our guests and would become theirs. You would take possession of it. We would be “your pizza place”. Well, it worked!
I did not have a plan for if it worked. We pushed hard to get the engine started. It picked up speed on its own. Now the engine is dragging me behind it on the gravel road. I am grateful that you enjoyed simple things done well.
This is a pause. A step back. A re-evaluation to come at this again with more knowledge and significantly more experience to plan for: “what if we are right?” What if people want a well-crafted product, one that isn't intimidating? A product crafted by people you learn to trust.
This might be seen as a funeral. I prefer the tradition of celebrating life. Thank you for all the delight in these 5 years. We hope you enjoyed our work.
To be continued...
Sincerely, Michael
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