Destin community rallies around local pizzaria
Updated:
A Destin business struggling to stay open has seen a welcomed boost over the past few days thanks to an outpouring of love from the local community. Donald and Sherry Hart of Mama Sherry’s Pizza Wings & Things had posted a plea for help early this week on a popular fundraising website stating that they would have to close the business without increased customer support.
After The Log posted the Hart's story Wednesday afternoon, the community rushed to the restaurant’s aid, a welcomed surprise for the local "mom and pop" restaurant. On Thursday, the restaurant showed new signs of life as a lively lunch crowd mirrored the support of the night before.
“It went fantastic last night, it was overwhelming,” Sherry said, referring to Wednesday night’s unexpected rush. “I had no idea you were going to put the story up so fast. We had every table full, a packed house last night and nobody left unhappy. Today we are still busy because people saw the story online.”
Last winter, Sherry said the family took out a loan to cover utility costs for the restaurant but were not able to save enough during the summer to cover this winter’s slump.
“They say your first winter is your worst winter, but this winter is worse than last winter,” Sherry said. “We are family owned and operated and if we shut the doors our whole family is out. Summertime is good, but we borrowed so much money last winter to get through the winter that during the summer I couldn’t make anything because I was busy paying that back.”
In effort to save the business, the family started a Go Fund Me page in hopes to raise immediate funds to pay outstanding bills.
“We are trying to reach out to our regular customers and friends and families to try to save the place,” Sherry said. “We need at least $5,000 to get utilities caught up.”
Besides the website, Sherry they are running several specials to try to bring people back through the doors.
“We have some really good Snowbird specials from 4-7 p.m. and we have happy hour every day,” she said. “We deliver if they want us to bring it to them, it’s just we need customers. We have really great food, everybody says we’ve got the best pizza and wings in town and we’re a friendly place.”
Original Story:
Mama Sherry’s Pizza Wings & Things has been a staple along Harbor Boulevard in Destin for nearly two years, but they have been slow as of late and said the lack of customers may cause them to close their doors if something doesn’t change.
“They say your first winter is your worst winter, but this winter is worse than last winter,” said restaurant owner Sherry Hart. “We are family owned and operated and if we shut the doors our whole family is out.”
Hart runs the business with her husband Harold and her two sons Anthony and Robert. Last winter, she said the family took out a loan to cover utility costs for the restaurant but were not able to save enough during the summer to cover this winter’s slump.
“Summertime is good, but we borrowed so much money last winter to get through the winter that during the summer I couldn’t make anything because I was busy paying that back,” she said.
In effort to save the business, the family has started a Go Fund Me page in hopes to raise immediate funds to pay outstanding bills.
“We are trying to reach out to our regular customers and friends and families to try to save the place,” said Hart. “We need at least $5,000 to get utilities caught up.”
Besides the website, Hart said she is running several specials to try to bring people back through the doors.
“We have some really good Snowbird specials from 4-7 p.m. and we have happy hour every day,” she said. “We deliver if they want us to bring it to them, it’s just we need customers.”
Times are historically tough in the slow season in Destin and Hart fears her family business may not survive this winter.
“I took my tips just to keep them from turning off the water yesterday,” she said Wednesday.
Still, Hart said she hasn’t given up hope just yet and has already seen some support from locals and visitors alike.
“They love us, this summer I joined the chamber of commerce and one of those ladies is coming to support us tonight,” she said Wednesday. “We have really great food, everybody says we’ve got the best pizza and wings in town and we’re a friendly place.”
Mama Sherry’s Pizza Wings & Things is located at 529 Harbor Blvd. For more information call 460-2917.
To read what locals are saying about Mama Sherry's on The Log's Facebook page, CLICK HERE.
