10/04/2026
This will be the final post I make with my heart on my sleeve. This will set the record straight for the last time and you won't hear a single complaint from me again. I've made comments I'm not proud of and have learned from, I've made posts I'm extremely proud of - like talking about depression, su***de, and tragedy and standing up for those that have been affected by it. In addition, I've helped those that have lost their homes or livelihoods or feeding those who weren't being fed when food benefits were cut off. Things go both ways and you never know how people are going to feel about you.
I never truly intend to make you all feel like you don't matter. I've lived here for 10 years now - our store has been open since July 2024 and while we've had severe ups and downs, the last 4 months was FINALLY where we wanted to be this entire time - the store was booming so much that I hired on extra help and even had the have help from a couple people that don't e en work here. Over 2 years of struggle was finally over, so I thought. Then along came the giant. Now, I expected a falloff, it's the new thing and everyone jumps and then it dies down and things return to normal and we aren't even worried about that. Again, expected.
What was unexpected was the satire page - I'm sure they're reading this frothing at the mouth over what they get to say next. The page was made just to poke fun at the fact that we have so many pizza places in this small town. However, many people don't understand satire and thought it was real - making several people lash out at us, blame us, curse at us while screaming over the phone. What that did was remind me how warm and loving my first store has always been. What Scott City doesn't like is being compared to anything - truthfully, no one does. I was compared to the old Pizza Pro here from well over 10 years ago, that didn't feel good either and that reaction was the first post I were regretted. No one likes being told they could never be something that someone else loves. That's envy and jealousy - two horrible emotions we have as people. The satire page brought about conflict and anger and when people lashed out at me, I lashed back, and then I turned and told Marble Hill how wonderful they are, publicly. Are they? Absolutely. Go read the comments - the warmth and love is undeniable and outstanding.
What I've done at this location was exactly what I did there. It was copy and paste. Then I was told I wasn't what it used to be and I got angry. I had some employees that would also just let the phone ring without answering and delete the caller ID so I never knew that anyone called. I caught them because they did it to ME one day, my calls were ignored for over 20 minutes as I drove all the way from Jackson to find them sitting here doing nothing. I caught one sleeping in the back of the store too one time. 2025 was horrendous. We lost over $55,000 all-told. That's why you saw me complaining a lot. I couldn't understand why the store with 3.5x LESS people around it was booming while my new store in a larger town was dying. Everything was the same! Not quite though... I was doing more marketing and more fundraisers and more posts about specials and wider variety of specials and giveaways.... it goes on. Yet it lost A LOT of money. Internally, we needed change. I tried to will the customers into being that change but I didn't know the problem was primarily inside.
2026 brought about that change. By the end of March everything shifted towards moving forward and surviving the way I needed it to. And by April, the account turned green for the first time in a year by itself without any "we are dying, please help" posts. The issue is by then I has turned so many of you away... you thought I was complaining when really I was sad and desperate. I opened this store to support my newborn (now with two daughters) and to me, this is the store that supports them. This store hurting directly hurts my daughters, that's why it's so personal to me, that's why it hurts my heart, that's why I would lash out any time anyone would attack us. I'm defending my home. Scott City IS my home. But everything has been good since April, until now.
My Marble Hill post wasn't meant to put you down, it was meant to tell those that have had my back for over 6 years that they're cherished in a way that I don't get here, and again, if you read those posts you'll see why and how. And it's true, but that doesn't mean you're anything less. I'm still here every day at this store, trying to make it better for you - creating more fun options, offering delivery to people that have never had the choice to before, not raising prices even though inflation is killing me, and I even spent over $4,000 getting a digital system this year so online ordering could happen in a better way than ordering through Facebook Messenger - this system also costs $400 month to keep.
Money is the thing everyone worries about - it skips no one. Our loan to start was $184,000 which costs me $2,200 a month. $1,000 rent. $800 electric bill. Every food bill every week is at least $1,500. I get one week a month where I actually get to pay myself around $300... $160 of which is basically gas money. I don't actually *make* money at this location. I make enough to pay the bills and feed my children and feed my car. Surviving the loan is EVERYTHING.
I'm not angry with you. I'm not complaining that you don't order, because so many of you are so dear to me in ways I can't express. Some of you have disappeared because I feel like I haven't made it clear enough as to *what* has caused me to feel this way; that you think I'm upset with you not constantly ordering. I know times are hard, I know that shiny new businesses get your money for a while before you go back to old places, and I know you might have to budget which place you eat out at sometimes. I'm not complaining about Scott City - I'm just scared every month that I might lose the store like I almost did THREE TIMES in 2025. I'm scared that I may not being able to afford the next grocery bill to feed my family.
So if I've run you off with complaining, please understand that it wasn't my intention and that this is my mindset. It's scary when your food bill and labor is higher than your income in a given week. The other store doesn't have that, this one does. It's not you, it's not anger, it's not complaining, I'm not really comparing you two, it's only a fear of losing everything and trying to find a way to survive.
I am sorry.
We have a fundraiser and a sweet Fall-themed treat being added to the menu next week. I hope to see you all there supporting the community like we have over the past two years. I hope you'll accept my apology for never truly clarifying why I make stupid posts from time to time, but this is the last one. Nothing but business posts going forward ("thank God, finally, just shut up" shouts the man in the back row.)
