Pizza dough was flying in downtown Campbell River this fall, as locals lined up for a taste of the town’s new punk rock pizza place.
After Fin Crust Pizza’s busy launch in mid-September when the phone rang off the hook and the pizza regularly sold out, owners Mandy Thompson and Stoney Critchlow are happy to keep a steadier pace these days.
“It was super busy at the beginning! We sold out every day in the first week. Since then we’ve hired some great staff, and we’ve worked through the systems to improve our customer experience,” Thompson says.
The online ordering system is now up and running, which allows the restaurant to manage orders more efficiently as well as making things more convenient for customers.
“In the first week the phone just rang and rang and rang, and some people couldn’t get through. They thought we weren’t answering the phone, but it was just that it was ringing nonstop!” Thompson says. “Things have settled down now, and the online ordering system gives customers another option to get in touch.”
Thompson and Critchlow have also added talented, good-humoured staff to the team as well, bringing extra experience and energy to the restaurant.
Made from scratch — even the soda
Fin Crust Pizza definitely isn’t conventional North American pizza, and it doesn’t claim to be traditional Italian pizza either. So what can you expect? Thin crust, wood fired, and flavour that packs a punch.
“Everything is made from scratch in-house, using high quality ingredients. We even slice the ham off the bone ourselves — it’s not your typical processed pizza meat. I craft our soda from scratch, with real fruit and sugar. Nothing else,” Thompson says.
In just a few weeks the restaurant has built such a reputation for experimentation that fans on their Facebook page didn’t bat an eye when it looked like they were serving up slugs.
“It was a portobello mushroom! We had a tiny ball of dough left over and decided to make a mini pizza with just one mushroom slice, but people thought it was a slug. So I knit a little slug and I guess that’s our mascot now.”
Ghost pepper roulette
Slugs aren’t on the menu just yet, but this Halloween you can try your luck at Ghost Pepper Roulette. Order a pizza and Fin Crust will add a ghost pepper somewhere amongst your toppings: will your slice be sensational, or will it set your tongue on fire? Available for a limited time only.
Find Fin Crust Pizza at 1011 Shoppers Row in Tyee Plaza, open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner and late night cravings. Browse the menu at fincrustpizza.com and order online, or call in your order at 778-346-3467.