Shakey’s Pizza Parlor and Ye Public House

Shakey’s Pizza Parlor and Ye Public House, 4010 South Dale Mabry

Shakey’s Pizza Parlor and Ye Public House, 4010 South Dale Mabry Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.

Lowes Home Improvement Parking Lot. 2023 © Chip Weiner

Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson and a college buddy started his pizza business in 1954 in a small remodeled grocery store in Sacramento CA, which he rented for $850 monthly. The company began franchising restaurants in Florida in 1963. Modeling itself after a London Pub, it served 21 varieties of pizza. In the mid-1960s, there were over 250 Shakey’s in the United States.

Shakey’s Pizza Parlor and Ye Public House opened this location at 4010 South Dale Mabry in November 1966. They opened a sister store at 8114 N. Florida Ave in December of that year. The parlors became family favorites in the 1970s, where hungry diners could get a thin-crust pizza, a pitcher of root beer, and tap their toes to the rag-time piano, banjo, and, on occasion, a tuba. Johnson, Shakey’s founder, was a Dixieland jazz piano player and started the tradition. He paid musicians $10 each and all the pizza they wanted. When the band wasn’t present, the locations had a player piano and a large screen where cartoons and Charlie Chaplin movies entertained pizza lovers. Customers could watch their pies being made through the large windows between the kitchen and the dining room.

In August 1971, this Shakey’s became the out-parcel lot in the Twin Bays Shopping Center, with Woolco store #6203 as its anchor tenant. In the early 1980s, business began to fall off for the brand. Domino’s, ABC Pizza, Little Ceasar’s, and Pizza Inn took a piece of the pie. Shakey’s closed their Tampa locations in mid-1982. In July 1983, Roman Sun Italian Restaurant opened in the Shakey’s space. Woolco closed on January 15, 1983, and Phar-Mor Pharmacy moved in, and the center was renamed Phar-Mor Plaza. 1985, Roman Sun transformed into Boomer’s Restaurant and Lounge, which lasted until 1987. Pep Boys auto supplies, MacFrugals variety store, Famous Footwear, and AMC Twin Bays Theaters were all part of the mix in the plaza. In 1994, Phar-Mor filed for reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and closed this location. The entire shopping center and the former Shakey’s location were demolished, and a new Lowes Home Improvement store opened in late 2002.

According to their website, California still has about 50 Shakey’s Pizza locations.

Shakey's Pizza Parlor advertisement photo. Circa 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.

Publicity shot for Shakey's Pizza with player piano in the background. Circa 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.

Publicity shot for Shakey's Pizza with server showing pizza. Circa 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.

Publicity shot for Shakey's Pizza with server showing pizza. Circa 1970s. Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.