joe mogul pizza

[RecycleMichael]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=53&articleid=20100312_53_0_Atfirs381130

Joe Momma's owner adding other ventures

By ROBERT EVATT World Staff Writer

At first glance, Joe Momma's proprietor Blake Ewing is an easy-going guy happy to shoot the breeze with anyone.
But there's nothing laid-back about his business plans. Less than two years after opening the downtown pizzeria, Ewing is about to launch Boomtown Tees, a T-shirt and custom print shop that will be the first of five new establishments he wants to bring downtown. Ewing's other plans include the Max Retropub, a family-friendly retro arcade bar, and three other bar and restaurant concepts.

The entrepreneur said he's proud of Tulsa and wants to bring interesting things downtown. Besides, his restaurant at 112 S. Elgin Ave. has been a big success. "February will be the biggest month we've had so far, and usually winter is bad for restaurants," he said. Ewing attributes the success of Joe Momma's to the many special events held there, including trivia nights, Gong Show-style karaoke, art showings and children's book club meetings, with much of the proceeds going to charity.
He estimates the first two months of "Charity Okie" has raised $2,500 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"We try to make everything we do have a purpose," Ewing said. "We want to make sure we give back to the community."
Ewing said people who attend one of the specialty events often return because they get hooked on his pizza. Boomtown Tees is designed to be an unmistakably Tulsa business when it opens within a month at 114-A S. Elgin. Ewing said many of its shirts will feature vintage-looking takes on Tulsa icons and landmarks. For example, two of its first T-shirts will feature the Zingo roller coaster and the long-gone Camelot Hotel.

The shop will also produce T-shirts that aren't Tulsa-specific but designed by Tulsa artists. Ewing said he'd love to work with as many locals as he can. "Random people can submit ideas, and if we print it, they'll get a commission," he said.
The Max Retropub, slated to go in next door at 114-B S. Elgin by May, aims to recreate the arcades of the 1980s and early 1990s. Although video game systems that deliver realistic, immersing experiences are now in many homes, Ewing said people still like the charm of old arcade games. "Dads and moms have a wonderful nostalgic memory of them, and young kids just light up when they see them," he said. "It's nostalgia or novelty."

He's shooting for 25 game machines in the Max, along with skee-ball. It will also serve what Ewing calls "gourmet junk food," such as a variety hot dogs, homemade pretzels and popcorn. His other three concepts are further off, though he hopes to be started on all of them by the fall. The Back Alley Blues and Barbecue is geared toward Memphis-style barbecue and live music behind the Max. The Phoenix Cafe, slated to go in at Sixth Street and Peoria Avenue, will combine coffee, sandwiches and a used-book store. And he's in the early planning stages of a whiskey-and-cigar bar to be established somewhere downtown. Ewing said he's seeking investors to help him get these three projects off the ground.

[Red Arrow]

Some of the things being talked about might actually draw me in from Suburbia occasionally.  Now, if we only had a real trolley from out here to downtown.

[sgrizzle]

I'd settle for a bus.

[Red Arrow]

I'd settle for a bus.

Not me.  I want real trolley with steel tracks and overhead electric wires.  If I have to take a bus, I'll either take my car or not go. But that's me. I would accept something like  the New Mexico Railrunner on a regular schedule for "visitors" to downtown.  My sister uses the NM Railrunner to commute to work and loves it.

I have the fortunate/unfortunate experience of growing up in suburban Philly, PA where rail was a real option to the automobile.

Edit:
Let me modify that a bit.  I would also like a grade separated third rail system like the SEPTA route 100, formerly the Philadelphia and Western Railway, aka the Norristown High Speed Line.  No traffic jams, no overhead wires which some consider unsightly.

No stinky internal combustion rubber tired buses for me.

[sgrizzle]

I would love to have a train, but considering where I am basically isn't served by buses at all, anything is an upgrade.

[Red Arrow]

I live near 111th & Memorial so I expect to get what we have now, nothing.  As long as I'm dreaming, I might as well dream for what I would really like.   A bus route would be an improvement over nothing but the truth is I probably would not use it.  "Never" is a long time so I won't say that I would absolutely not use it.  I consider myself to be one of those "riders of choice".   Choose a train/real trolley over a car, choose a car over a bus.

[RecycleMichael]

does anyone stay on topic anymore?

[Red Arrow]

does anyone stay on topic anymore?

Sorta, this is how I would like to go to downtown to get pizza.

[SXSW]

So that's 3 new businesses opening up on Elgin this year: Blake's Boomtown T's and Max Retropub, and Nelson's Dust Bowl bowling alley/restaurant. 

The Phoenix Cafe sounds like a cool concept for the Pearl neighborhood.  Will it be at the SE corner of 6th & Peoria? 
http://www.1architecture.com/projects/pearl.htm

[Conan71]

does anyone stay on topic anymore?

What was the topic?  Aren't you off topic with your comment?

[rwarn17588]

Where's the BBQ joint going?

[sgrizzle]

Where's the BBQ joint going?

Location not yet firm.

[JoeMommaBlake]

116 S. Elgin Ave.

Open in a few months. We're finishing up purchase of the property now. We have a good amount of the capital raised, but are still taking on investors. Regardless, we're going to start construction as soon as the space is officially ours. Expect BBQ in the Blue Dome District early 2011.

Thanks!

[Renaissance]

116 S. Elgin Ave.

Open in a few months. We're finishing up purchase of the property now. We have a good amount of the capital raised, but are still taking on investors. Regardless, we're going to start construction as soon as the space is officially ours. Expect BBQ in the Blue Dome District early 2011.

Thanks!

AWESOME.  What kind of pit setup, etc.?  Oklahoma style?  BBQ'd baloney on the menu?

[JoeMommaBlake]

We're calling it "slow smoked Memphis style BBQ," but that's not exclusive. Oklahomans like their BBQ and we like all kinds of different things, so we're going to give people what they want.

We'll have a big selection of smoked meats including smoked turkey, bologna, home-made sausage, and beef ribs as well as some other fun things like fresh watermelon, house-made lemonade, sweet-tea and the best buttermilk pie you've ever had.

Also, we'll be the best place in town to catch live blues music. We'll be open late night, have a cool back alley entrance and a back patio that we'll share with The Max and Joe Momma's. Also, look for some cool upgrades to the alley that runs between 1st and 2nd street in the near future.

Thanks for the interest. We'll have more info as we get closer to opening.