When Jabee Williams opened Eastside Pizza House about two years ago in Oklahoma City, he wanted to build a place that served as a community hub on the east side of town. For two years, the pizza place accomplished exactly that, Williams said, but is now being forced to close.
It all comes down to foot traffic and cash flow issues, Williams said.
“We started this journey with a vision [t]o create a space for our community, a place where Eastside could gather, connect and call its own,” the Eastside Pizza House owner and operator wrote on the pizzeria’s social media channels. “We wanted to offer more than just food; we wanted to offer a sense of belonging. We saw that at our events, collaborations, camps, donations and sponsorships.”
In spite of that success, Williams added that the shop has faced a number of challenges since opening. Namely, a lack of foot traffic seemed to doom the brand. According to the Oklahoma City Free Press, the shop needed to do about $1,500 in sales per week to stay afloat. Even during its busiest weeks, Eastside Pizza House was only pulling in about half that amount.
Related: Despite Minimal Restaurant Experience, This Crust Pizza Franchisee Went All In
“There’s not really much traffic over there [on Northeast 23rd Street],” Williams told the Free Press. “People aren’t just walking up, wanting to go eat. They don’t think about the Eastside like that, yet. We did events, collabs with chefs, and [business] would be good for a few days and then go back down.”
Williams, who is also a hip-hop artist, created a unique pizza brand in Eastside Pizza House. The concept was known for its black, charcoal-infused crust. Both the shop’s decor and menu were lessons in Black American history, especially that of Oklahoma City. Standout pies included the Clara Luper—named for an educator and civil rights activist from Oklahoma City—The [Ralph] Ellison [celebrated author of Invisible Man], and the Jimmy Rushing, named for the OKC-born singer and pianist.
Williams said the last day of business for Eastside Pizza House will be September 30. The hardest part of closing, he said, was letting the staff know, and he encouraged loyal patrons to come in one more time or two to give the pizza house and its team members a proper send-off.
He also believes the community hasn’t seen the last of Eastside Pizza House. “Nothing is wasted,” Williams added in the note on social media. “This is just the beginning. We don’t believe our brand will be gone for long so be watching for what’s next!”
The owner and operator also encouraged followers of the pizza house to keep an eye out for what would be moving into the space. There was no indication of whether or not the new business would be a pizzeria, let alone a restaurant.
