Local Business: Pier 49 Pizza

Restaurant looks to become community gathering place

Wes Harris has fond memories of attending pizza parties at Pier 49 Pizza in his youth. His high school soccer coach Mike Dicou founded the pizza restaurant, and the team frequently gathered there.

When the business, located at 296 S. Main in Springville, came up for sale recently, Harris and his family decided to go for it.

“I was looking for another real estate investment when I found this, and I thought it would be a great location and opportunity,” Harris said.

But Harris has more in mind than simply offering great pizza. His ultimate goal is to turn Pier 49 into a “epicenter” of Springville, a place where locals can spend time together and listen to live music, take art classes, play games, raise money for good causes and even receive help in their school studies.

“Our main goal is to make it a community place,” Harris said.

Harris, who also owns a construction company and works as a private airplane pilot, took ownership of Pier 49 and its historic 120-year-old building in early February. He then spent about 10 days remodeling the kitchen and making repairs before reopening for business on Feb. 18. Although he’s only been running the place for a couple of months, he’s already finding ways to be of

Pictured from left to right are Pier 49 Pizza owner Wes Harris, his daughter Kylie Harris, and Pier 49 employees Tannie Hjorth and Steven Crandall.

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Pier 49 participated in three PTA fundraisers during its first weeks under Harris’s leadership. Meals have been sent to families and individuals who were in trouble financially or could simply use a little pick-me-up to brighten their day.

Harris has started hosting paint nights at the restaurant where people come in and learn how to paint a specific picture. He’s also hosting Dungeons and Dragons nights for players. Live music is offered during lunch and dinner on Fridays and dinner on Saturdays.

“We want it to be a regular thing, people coming in on Friday and Saturday nights because there’s going to be live music.… We would like people to plan their weekend date night around our live music,” he said.

The mission of his business is truly to make enough to sustain itself while also serving as a gathering place for residents of the community.

“For us, its more, ‘Let’s put money into this place and see if Springville can support its own giving store,’” Harris said.

Harris’s desire to serve grew from his early days as a pilot. He worked with a youth home that rewarded its residents for good behavior by giving them a flight lesson. This opportunity to work with youth led to his desire to have a place someday that would assist youth and offer life-changing experiences.

He wants Pier 49 to become a place not only where the community gathers, but where youth in the community can feel safe. He envisions having students looking to perform public service act as tutors for other students who need academic help.

“I would love to utilize the place after school as a place where kids who are honor kids could spend volunteer hours and other kids could get a free 30-minute tutoring session,” Harris said.

In the midst of it all, there will be Pier 49’s signature pizza. Currently, on Monday nights, the restaurant is offering “make your pizza” night where the toppings are brought to the customers and they can assemble their own pizza at their table.

The restaurant’s salad bar should be up and running by May, Harris said, and he is refining the ordering process so when people arrive to pick up their pizza, it’s ready and waiting for them.

“We want people to know they can have confidence not only that they can get a premium product, but they can get it in a timely manner,” he said.

For more information about Pier 49 Pizza’s events and offerings, check out the Pier 49 Pizza Springville Facebook page.

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