Thursday, June 4, 2009
wondering why its been so dead at nicolitalia
i don't get it. every one i talk to or run into has really good things to say about the pizza there. we just one an award for best in state. so i'm pretty sure it isn't the pizza. i wouldn't work there if it wasn't amazing pizza. so what is it? i know we aren't the best at advertising and promotion, but usually a place with food this good (elsewhere) can get by on reputation alone. i don't get it. it really bums me out to see this happen. nick is saying he may close down before the summer is out. i hope this doesn't happen, A) because i'll be out of a job, B) because utah valley will lose one of the best pizza joints around. with the exception of a place like pizzeria 712, all the other pizza joints are trash (IMO). go ahead and shout conflict of interest. doesn't bother me. i applied to get a job here because i love nick and i love his pizza. so, if anyone has any suggestions (we're pretty serious, no joking aorund) we'd love to know. nick doesn't want to go out of business. please read and repost wherever you can. one of the better businesses in utah valley could use the help.
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Just do some basic internet marketing through facebook and myspace advertising. Geolocate it to the provo area, and offer a coupon in the ad. I s'pose that'll help get the name out...
My 2 cents. Now you've got it.
i've told you before, that place is not conducive to hanging out. it needs booths or something, i feel like i'm eating in a really annoying cafeteria when i eat there, i much prefer nicolitalia @ the office. the music's bad, the lighting's bad, and the decor's bad. it could do with some beer, too.
yeah, more advertising via internet, local papers, byu paper. even ask some artsy byu design kidz to work with you on an ad/coupon. i am a big nicolitalia fan and it was worth it to me to make the drive there. but its not the most conveniently located. i realize its a huge pain in the ass (not to mention a huge expense) to move a business but might be worth it. i hope it keeps going. courtney and i would eat there about once a week.
I'm with Quinn. Some advertising wouldn't hurt, but I think it's the slightly inconvenient location that does it.
That hasn't stopped Andy & I from eating 6 extra-large pizzas from Nicolitalia in the last 13 days, but I know it puts other people off. If Nicolitalia was on University Ave. for example, I would dine there daily.
errin, we're slowly working on that. nick is completely clueless when it comes to decor and stuff like that. quinn et al, we're working to canvas provo with flyers and menus. right now our budget for advertisement is shot. we've been adding fans on facebook pretty slowly but we really haven't seen much impact as a result, like we've offered facebook deals and no one has taken the offers (like pretty decent discounts). i think as soon as he finds a buyer, nick will probably sell. or once he thinks he can get out with too much of a loss he'll close down. bummer.
also, moving isn't really an option.
BYU has an advertising lab- you normally pay them but you might be able to get the students to work for you by just giving them free pizza or something.
Echoing Errin, the ambiance is terrible. Also, for a double-uni town Nick wants to sell pricey pizzas. But better ambiance with the fanciness of the pizza could make it a date destination. The two-college small Minnesota town that I attended may have had the highest grossing Dominos in the nation, but also supported two nearly identical local pizza joints. The local joints delivered large, cheap, hearty pizzas with toppings like gyro as well as gyro sandwiches and other orderables (of course, at this time Dominos only did pizza). They also served a thin crust cut into squares which was easily sharable amongst a bunch of poor college students who each had a little bit of money to contribute to the purchase of said pizza.
Don't know if any of this will help you or Nick, but them's my thoughts.
ambiance aside, the myth that college students won't buy fancier pizza is shot through here as evidenced by places like brick oven. their pizzas are priced higher and their quality is lower. but they're really only down in business by about 15-20%. baffling. we're also always running specials and deals students can take advantage of.
Well, Brick Oven is overpriced and gross, but it is also a Provo institution. I dunno, man, you asked for suggestions.
How can *we* help?
ben, sorry, i appreciate it, it just seems like for a place that isn't high end, or a 5 buck type place, you can't make it. like i said about the decor we're working on it, and moving really isn't an option.
the peanut, thanks for your offer to help, if you you guys can blog away or come in and eat and do a review we'd appreciate it.
I've lived in Provo for two years and have yet to find a decent pizza place. I've been looking, but have never even heard of you guys until now. So, maybe some advertising would help.
frankie, come on in
totally sexist and dumb, and not that i want any of the nicolitalia guys to leave, but typically successful restaurants around here have girls behind the counter/on the waitstaff. and maybe there are girls working at nicolitalia. i just haven't seen any in the times i've been there.
funny you should mention that. we recently convinced nick this was important
HIRE ME, NICOLITALIA
I'LL BE YOUR CUTE PIZZA GIRL
Have you approached the newspapers to see if they'll do a food type review. Since you've won an award, local papers would probably be interested in doing small stories. That way, you at least get some free press.
I'll be back soon and will do my share to eat pizza there.
you've said moving isn't an option, but i suppose its a step in the right direction to know that the location isn't the greatest.
i think all of the earlier suggestions are good too- especially the issue with the vibe in there.
josh, are you in agreement with errins comment? like not conducive to hanging out?
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