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Message
TulaneLSU's Degas inspired review of Shakey's Pizza
Posted on 8/27/23 at 6:49 am
Posted on 8/27/23 at 6:49 am
Dear Friends,
The Food Board’s great philosopher, Degas, recently, in response to the Chuck E Cheese thread, said, “You can never go back in time to your childhood.” Channeling Heraclitus, he was speaking of his childhood pizza joint, Shakey’s. In all my travels searching for America’s greatest pizza, I had never been to this chain pizza parlor, which has been so bold as to trademark the term “World’s Greatest Pizza.” The chain was never part of my childhood, having closed its NOLA Metro locations in the early ‘80s before I was born. While the chain today is on shaky ground, with just 50 locations remaining in the U.S., all near fault lines on the West Coast, Shakey’s was from the late ‘50s until 1971, when Pizza Hut surpassed it, the world's largest pizza chain.
As a frequenter of Shogun in Metairie, the best Japanese restaurant in the South, I have heard and read all my life that Shogun is housed in a building that was built as a Shakey’s Pizza. And so, I often, while sitting in the dining room, pondered and considered what this wonderful Japanese place must have looked like as a pizza parlor. Thanks to these voices of the past, and Degas’ powerful sentence, I decided to fly to Seattle to try one of two remaining Shakey’s in Washington, in a quaint suburb town called Renton.
Founded by Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson and his World War II friend, Ed Plummer in Sacramento in 1954. They each put up $850 and within weeks knew they had a winner. It was Johnson’s charisma and ingenuity that made it such a hit. A musician himself, he brought in jazz bands to play in his restaurants. Some locals may remember listening to the great pianist Harry Pooley while dining\at the Shakey’s in the Woolco Shopping Center in Gretna during its run from 1969 to 1982. Locally famous, he made his bones tickling the ivories at Club Kelsto in the Quarters before spending his later years at Shakey’s.
The region was home to multiple Shakey’s, including one on Airline in Baton Rouge, another on Morrison in the Kenilworth Shopping Center in New Orleans East, the one in Gretna, and the one that became home to Shogun in Metairie. Each of these parlors lives on in the memories of New Orleanians who dined on their fried chicken, steak fried potatoes, now called Mojo potatoes, and hand tossed pizzas.
The Shakey’s setup influenced many restaurants and malls in the coming decades. Arcades played a big role, introducing many to video games. Some may also recall jumping on the restaurant’s trampoline, an idea completely unheard of in today’s litigious world. Most had large bench seating, facilitating parties, especially for youth sporting teams, something Godfather’s Pizza tapped into later. Many locations also had young pizzaiolos throwing dough in the air, separated from the adorning diners through large glass windows, an architectural design adopted by Tower of Pizza directly across the street from the Metairie location.
Shakey’s reached its economic peak under the ownership of Hunt International Resources around 1980 when there were over 500 locations spread throughout the land, with a definite West Coast predominance. The Hunt brothers, though were riding a wave of momentum from the previous decade. The Hunts neglected the pizza chain, while focusing on other endeavors, like cornering the silver market. In 1984, Gary Brown and Jay Halverson, two franchisees, bought the declining chain and five years later they sold the chain to a Chinese multinational. It has, unsurprisingly, continued its decline, with its last eastern location, in the little known pizza Mecca, Auburn, AL, closing four years ago.
Entering Shakey’s today is like grabbing a relic. At once you know it is old and carries nostalgia for many. I entered at 11 in the morning and already there was a bumping party in one of the rooms with pizza flying out the lovely Vulcan Hustler natural gas stone deck ovens. There were broken video games to the left, being worked on by a repairman. Although I wanted to start a conversation with the repairman, he seemed quite busy. I could hear Mother’s voice in my head saying, “Do not bother the busy man with your questions,” so I did not. It did make me think of how the arcade game repair profession must be dying in this day of home video game systems.
On the walls were many framed movie posters, including in the bathroom those of Ferris Bueller, Star Wars, and Rocky IV in the bathroom. This location’s owner seems to know his base: children of the 70s and 80s who grew up going to Shakey’s.
The Food Board’s great philosopher, Degas, recently, in response to the Chuck E Cheese thread, said, “You can never go back in time to your childhood.” Channeling Heraclitus, he was speaking of his childhood pizza joint, Shakey’s. In all my travels searching for America’s greatest pizza, I had never been to this chain pizza parlor, which has been so bold as to trademark the term “World’s Greatest Pizza.” The chain was never part of my childhood, having closed its NOLA Metro locations in the early ‘80s before I was born. While the chain today is on shaky ground, with just 50 locations remaining in the U.S., all near fault lines on the West Coast, Shakey’s was from the late ‘50s until 1971, when Pizza Hut surpassed it, the world's largest pizza chain.
As a frequenter of Shogun in Metairie, the best Japanese restaurant in the South, I have heard and read all my life that Shogun is housed in a building that was built as a Shakey’s Pizza. And so, I often, while sitting in the dining room, pondered and considered what this wonderful Japanese place must have looked like as a pizza parlor. Thanks to these voices of the past, and Degas’ powerful sentence, I decided to fly to Seattle to try one of two remaining Shakey’s in Washington, in a quaint suburb town called Renton.
Founded by Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson and his World War II friend, Ed Plummer in Sacramento in 1954. They each put up $850 and within weeks knew they had a winner. It was Johnson’s charisma and ingenuity that made it such a hit. A musician himself, he brought in jazz bands to play in his restaurants. Some locals may remember listening to the great pianist Harry Pooley while dining\at the Shakey’s in the Woolco Shopping Center in Gretna during its run from 1969 to 1982. Locally famous, he made his bones tickling the ivories at Club Kelsto in the Quarters before spending his later years at Shakey’s.
The region was home to multiple Shakey’s, including one on Airline in Baton Rouge, another on Morrison in the Kenilworth Shopping Center in New Orleans East, the one in Gretna, and the one that became home to Shogun in Metairie. Each of these parlors lives on in the memories of New Orleanians who dined on their fried chicken, steak fried potatoes, now called Mojo potatoes, and hand tossed pizzas.
The Shakey’s setup influenced many restaurants and malls in the coming decades. Arcades played a big role, introducing many to video games. Some may also recall jumping on the restaurant’s trampoline, an idea completely unheard of in today’s litigious world. Most had large bench seating, facilitating parties, especially for youth sporting teams, something Godfather’s Pizza tapped into later. Many locations also had young pizzaiolos throwing dough in the air, separated from the adorning diners through large glass windows, an architectural design adopted by Tower of Pizza directly across the street from the Metairie location.
Shakey’s reached its economic peak under the ownership of Hunt International Resources around 1980 when there were over 500 locations spread throughout the land, with a definite West Coast predominance. The Hunt brothers, though were riding a wave of momentum from the previous decade. The Hunts neglected the pizza chain, while focusing on other endeavors, like cornering the silver market. In 1984, Gary Brown and Jay Halverson, two franchisees, bought the declining chain and five years later they sold the chain to a Chinese multinational. It has, unsurprisingly, continued its decline, with its last eastern location, in the little known pizza Mecca, Auburn, AL, closing four years ago.
Entering Shakey’s today is like grabbing a relic. At once you know it is old and carries nostalgia for many. I entered at 11 in the morning and already there was a bumping party in one of the rooms with pizza flying out the lovely Vulcan Hustler natural gas stone deck ovens. There were broken video games to the left, being worked on by a repairman. Although I wanted to start a conversation with the repairman, he seemed quite busy. I could hear Mother’s voice in my head saying, “Do not bother the busy man with your questions,” so I did not. It did make me think of how the arcade game repair profession must be dying in this day of home video game systems.
On the walls were many framed movie posters, including in the bathroom those of Ferris Bueller, Star Wars, and Rocky IV in the bathroom. This location’s owner seems to know his base: children of the 70s and 80s who grew up going to Shakey’s.
This post was edited on 8/27/23 at 7:11 am
Posted on 8/27/23 at 6:49 am to TulaneLSU
This location also had a salad bar that was reminiscent of a Pizza Hut salad bar, which was priced $5.99 for one trip or $9.99 for all you can eat. As I found no evidence of salad bars in the original Shakey’s, I decided against getting one. Instead, I headed to the counter, where orders were accepted by a lovely young worker, whose name I did not catch and whose name appears on the receipt simply as “Cashier #2.”
The kitchen appeared both efficient in use of its space and with its employees, all of whom appeared to be under the age of 30. All were friendly, but due to local laws, the manager denied my request to tour the alley kitchen behind the oven. I was able to peak through one of those old swinging kitchen doors that had window on it, which had become scratched over the years, making it nearly opaque. I was able to make out its dough machine. that near the bathroom and saw them preparing the highly processed dough.
There are some good recipes online if you want to recreate a Shakey’s skin. What is most distinguishable about Shakey’s dough is how sweet and processed it is. Eating it is like eating sugar bread, and within seconds, the dough begins to digest in the mouth. I am not sure you need to even chew it, it is that sweet.
The dough is a wheat flour with a lot of Crisco, sugar, yeast ADY, and salt. It is mixed with water at 95 degrees before resting. The dough is die cut and apparently excess scraps are thrown back into the dough ball to be used the following day. So you could say Shakey’s has the longest rise time of any of the chains. The tomato sauce was slightly sweet and had no acidity to it. It was rather unmemorable and the cheese was cheap mootz. The pizza man told me the ovens are set at 500, but I found my pie a bit undercooked. It would have benefitted from two minutes longer in the oven. There is little doubt that the mezzaluna pizza cutter had no trouble with this dough. The slices were even, indicating a skilled cutter.
The large plain pie was $25 with tax, which is exceptionally high for a chain pizza. It was too sweet for me, and reminded me a little of a Chef Boyardee homemade pie. It tasted like what I imagine the 60s and 70s tasted like. It would be of much interest to me if Degas or another poster who grew up eating Shakey’s pizza could taste one today and let us know if the current version is faithful to the pizza of their memories.
Thanks again to Degas for inspiring me to try one of the original pizza chains in America. After researching Shakey’s history, I do not think anyone can claim to be an expert on American pizza without trying Shakey’s at least once. It was worth the 4000 mile journey!
Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU
The kitchen appeared both efficient in use of its space and with its employees, all of whom appeared to be under the age of 30. All were friendly, but due to local laws, the manager denied my request to tour the alley kitchen behind the oven. I was able to peak through one of those old swinging kitchen doors that had window on it, which had become scratched over the years, making it nearly opaque. I was able to make out its dough machine. that near the bathroom and saw them preparing the highly processed dough.
There are some good recipes online if you want to recreate a Shakey’s skin. What is most distinguishable about Shakey’s dough is how sweet and processed it is. Eating it is like eating sugar bread, and within seconds, the dough begins to digest in the mouth. I am not sure you need to even chew it, it is that sweet.
The dough is a wheat flour with a lot of Crisco, sugar, yeast ADY, and salt. It is mixed with water at 95 degrees before resting. The dough is die cut and apparently excess scraps are thrown back into the dough ball to be used the following day. So you could say Shakey’s has the longest rise time of any of the chains. The tomato sauce was slightly sweet and had no acidity to it. It was rather unmemorable and the cheese was cheap mootz. The pizza man told me the ovens are set at 500, but I found my pie a bit undercooked. It would have benefitted from two minutes longer in the oven. There is little doubt that the mezzaluna pizza cutter had no trouble with this dough. The slices were even, indicating a skilled cutter.
The large plain pie was $25 with tax, which is exceptionally high for a chain pizza. It was too sweet for me, and reminded me a little of a Chef Boyardee homemade pie. It tasted like what I imagine the 60s and 70s tasted like. It would be of much interest to me if Degas or another poster who grew up eating Shakey’s pizza could taste one today and let us know if the current version is faithful to the pizza of their memories.
Thanks again to Degas for inspiring me to try one of the original pizza chains in America. After researching Shakey’s history, I do not think anyone can claim to be an expert on American pizza without trying Shakey’s at least once. It was worth the 4000 mile journey!
Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU
This post was edited on 8/27/23 at 6:51 am
Posted on 8/27/23 at 7:15 am to TulaneLSU
I remember that pizza from 50+ years ago. Pasquale’s was my favorite until PH took the market.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 9:02 am to TulaneLSU
quote:
TulaneLSU
John Kennedy Toole plagiarist!
Posted on 8/27/23 at 9:45 am to OTIS2
quote:
Pasquale’s was my favorite
There was one in the town where I went to college, and it was my second-favorite, right after Bernie's, the local pizza place.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 9:51 am to TulaneLSU
I thought Degas was a female.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 9:53 am to Gaston
Didn’t the one in Lake Charles have a line to walk up to order where you watched them making the pizza?
Posted on 8/27/23 at 10:50 am to dallastiger55
Tulane LSU is a fricking plague on every board it frequents.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 11:10 am to TulaneLSU
In the early 80’s, I remember being a camp counselor @ Maryhill Youth Camp, and Alexandria had a Shakey’s. One of the Sr counselors would bring pizza from there from time to time, was aight…
Posted on 8/27/23 at 11:13 am to TulaneLSU
quote:
TulaneLSU
Please post less
Posted on 8/27/23 at 6:32 pm to TulaneLSU
A good portion of my early childhood was spent at Shakey’s in Irvine CA.
They had a buffet that cost around 5.00 including drink and had pizza, salad, and their MOJO potatoes.
They also were one of the first with pin ball machines and some of the first video games that we all would eat the buffet and play the pin ball
Machines for hours continuing to eat the buffet. Was a kids dream at that time.
I also enjoyed the musicians that would come in and perform. Their pizza was one of my favorites at the time.
Round Table pizza was another favorite later in and they still have some but the last time I found one and tried it, I was very disappointed.
They had a buffet that cost around 5.00 including drink and had pizza, salad, and their MOJO potatoes.
They also were one of the first with pin ball machines and some of the first video games that we all would eat the buffet and play the pin ball
Machines for hours continuing to eat the buffet. Was a kids dream at that time.
I also enjoyed the musicians that would come in and perform. Their pizza was one of my favorites at the time.
Round Table pizza was another favorite later in and they still have some but the last time I found one and tried it, I was very disappointed.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 6:40 pm to TulaneLSU
Hated you didn't inquire with the Repair Man how much he charged an hour to fix the old arcade games.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 7:32 pm to dallastiger55
“Didn’t the one in Lake Charles have a line to walk up to order where you watched them making the pizza?“
Yes was across the street from F.K. White middle school. It was the go to after games in middle school then you hit Nelsons Donuts next door . Good times. Lots of PacMan was played there.
Yes was across the street from F.K. White middle school. It was the go to after games in middle school then you hit Nelsons Donuts next door . Good times. Lots of PacMan was played there.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 8:32 pm to TulaneLSU
Brings back memories. I had to wash Mother’s arse in this sink after making a mess on her.
Posted on 8/27/23 at 10:44 pm to OTIS2
quote:
remember that pizza from 50+ years ago. Pasquale’s was my favorite until PH took the market.
I remember Pasquale's as well but can't remember where it was. Shakey's was on the corner of Kmart/cinema III.
Posted on 8/29/23 at 1:21 pm to TulaneLSU
I have put away so many mojos in my life
Posted on 8/29/23 at 5:06 pm to TulaneLSU
... the date : December 23, 1972
the place : Shakey's Pizza Parlor
Birmingham, Al.
The venue : floor to ceiling movie screen on chains for a massive projection color TV
THE EVENT : Pittsburg Steelers vs
Oakland Raiders
The Play : Terry Bradshaw pass to Franco Harris
The spectical : the Immaculate Reception
MPV : Franco Harris
it was like I was in Three Rivers Stadium watching the most thrilling play EVER
all while eating Shakey's Pizza
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