mellow mushroom

Local owners create good vibes

By Kelly MacLeod

Linda and Jim Livingston and family own eight Mellow Mushrooms across the southeast but having lived in Pensacola for 60 years, it’s the Pensacola location that means the most.

Walking into the Mellow Mushroom on Bayou Boulevard you immediately feel what they describe as “an eclectic vibe, with steampunkinspire art.” There are bright, playful colors, a huge water ski lighting fixture, a Santa in surf shorts, a flying fish hanging from the ceiling and half of a VW bus with fun, funky art on it.

The good vibes are real.

But it’s not just the décor that creates the vibe.

“They (the Livingstons) want everybody that they work with to be happy and to be successful,” said general manager Sam Hastie. “Not only are they businesspeople, but they are definitely people-people. They created a culture where we’re not just employees, we’re a big family.”

Hastie began her restaurant management career in 2015 working for Chuy’s Tex Mex, an Austin-based chain. The Stockton, Alabama, native was traveling a lot around Alabama while working for Chuy’s, but she wanted to get closer to family. Since Pensacola is only an hour away from Stockton, Hastie was happy when she saw the opening for a general manager position at Mellow Mushroom.

“I grew up coming to Pensacola,” she said. “We went to the fairgrounds and the beach and stuff like that, so I was already pretty familiar with the area.”

She didn’t realize she was going to luck into such a positive work environment. She was initially sad to leave Chuy’s but found a sense of culture and family at Mellow Mushroom.

“One of the things that I really love about Mrs. Livingston and everyone is that they’ve created a big family,” Hastie said. “They are so openminded, and they definitely love to hear other people’s ideas, and they are really very inclusive. All of our stores get on a conference call every week and we problem solve, if somebody’s having an issue we brainstorm and help figure out what’s going on. So, they definitely create a safe atmosphere and an environment that helps us grow.”

It also helps that the food is high quality –this is not your average pizza joint. Mellow Mushroom’s homemade crust makes the pizzas and calzones to die for. They also have several delicious salads, with the Greek salad being the most popular, and popular appetizers like the pretzel bites, which are bite-sized pieces of their signature dough baked and finished with garlic butter and parmesan, and the spinach artichoke dip.

The restaurant balances having a great bar with 72 draft beers and craft cocktails and being a family-friendly place that is fun for the kids. They have trivia nights, happy hour specials and a dog-friendly patio.

“I describe Mellow Mushroom as a fun and quirky environment where it’s safe to be yourself but also to get great food. We like to have fun,” Hastie said, also mentioning the importance of the entire team. “I have to applaud the entire staff as well as the assistant manager Christiane Koontz, she’s been with us for nine years and she’s amazing.”

The owners not only foster a sense of family in the restaurant but also believe in supporting their hometown community. In addition to sponsoring sports teams and spirit nights, the restaurant donates to Ronald McDonald House, Sacred Heart, North Rotary Annual Charity Car Show to Benefit Autism and several area art programs.

“The Livingstons build that foundation for us to be able to do those things with the community and to be able to give back.”