Mothers Pizza

[VIVACIOUS30]

Has anybody ever heard of this old 80's pizza chain? I've heard some people mention that there is still one lingering around NW Calgary? Is it the same pizza recipe as the original? Used to love their pizza in Highschool. They were the first for 'pizza-by-the-slice'.

Thanks,
V30

[BigDL]

Well im not sure if its the same, however i do enjoy their food a lot. It is located near harvest hills. I believe the road its near is called harvest hill blv?. This road is the extension of what used to be center street before they put the bus trap at the bottom of the hill of center street. Now after turning on to that road off of beddition trail heading north, at the first set of lights take a left(go west), at this lights there is a 7-11 on the north east corner, and a church on the north west corner. Now take the first left and in that strip mall with the car wash its on the north west corner, next to where you exit the car wash. Hope find these instructions usefull, i love their pizza ;).

[t-im]

MOTHER'S PIZZA
COUNTRY HILLS LANDING NW
CALGARY
(403) 295-8760

MOTHER'S HOME PLATE PIZZA & CHICKEN
4632 MACLEOD TRAIL SW
CALGARY, T2G 5E8
(403) 296-9696

Dunno if that helps, but that's what I found for "Mother's Pizza."

[BigDL]

First one was the one that i was talking about ;). Yumm

[hmtktdh]

http://www.westdalevillage.ca/images/mothers.jpg

Remember this logo? I remember 2 locations. Both were on Dundas St, 1 @ Tomken Rd., the other @ Erindale Station Rd. (there's a chinese restaurant there now).

Here's a quote:
"Mother's Pizza Parlors, which spread throughout Ontario in the 1970's and 1980's, started in the Westdale Village."

http://www.westdalevillage.ca/memories.htm (Hamilton, ON)

I emailed the author to return any info on the demise of Mother's Pizzeria. There's nothing in cyberspace.

hmtktdh :guns:

[Kritafo]

Yes it's from the same chain. If you talk to the owner the original man that opened mothers in Canada lives around the old Huntington hills location and still drops by their store for food.

My favourite is the Thai chicken. The garlic toast isn't the same, but it you want a decent pizza it's good. The only one left probably in Canada. They still use the same sauce recipe and boxes. The owners are very, very nice.

PS I never thought chicken was good on pizza until I had this. They still make panzerotti and the classic pizza's. Along with the some of the main course dishes.

[Kritafo]

I had a cousin that owned a few of them in Ontario. I was very young when they all went under. But my cousin did keep 2 Windsor Ont locations but they were just run out of business with Domino's and Little Ceasars when they were popping up everywhere. I do recall hearing that Mothers was a case of expanding to fast.

[Shoebox//Racer]

oh man.. my parents still have the collectors glasses from the one that used to be in woodlands in the SW

[rm777]

I remember the one that used to be in the NE. I think it is the Keg now?

[hmtktdh]

I heard the same rumour about over-expenasion. With everything 'retro' and 'throw-back' these days, maybe now's the time for a revival...

Somebody somewhere knows something about this chain. I haven't received an email reply yet from that guy in Hamilton. I'd like not to think that the Calgary location is the last. Usu. they all close down together. Does the restaurant have a .com, .ca, .net? Is there a parent co. to contact? Does the owner know of any other locations?

I'd like to know how many others are out there and what happened to the rest of them 20 years ago.

[CaptainReboot]

Haha. My aunt and uncle used to work there. I have watches, glasses, and shirts with their logos on it.

Yeah, the one in the NE is now the Keg. And I remember the number for their pizza line was 291-1111.

Definately old school!

[ken-gsr]

there used to be one in Midnapore - way back in the day. It has now been a Little Caesars for over 10 years.

[Kritafo]

Well some of them remained opened, since Mothers was a franchise they had to buy them out-right.

The people with the info would be the lovely couple in Calgary. The original owner/founder of Mothers lives here in Calgary.

[jamsandwich]

Didn't realize any Mother's still existed. I knew there used to be one up in Beddington, but I thought it had died (maybe just moved to Country Hills?).

It was the one pizza place my family would go to in the early 80's. They had a location on Southport Rd. by Superstore (I think it's BP's now, but it's been a lot of different restaurants over the years).

[JordanAndrew]

hehe I go to that pizza place every now and then after a good car wash (it's conveniently located right beside it).

I haven't been there for a while but even so when I came back the owners immediately recognized me and gave me good service and great food. :thumbsup:

[Kritafo]

Same here, we always get fantastic service, they are always great to my children. We usually stay and eat a slice, the kids always get panzarotti, and they always send over a dessert for the kids. They are super, super nice.

[j_gor78]

I only remember that it was 35 minutes or it was free....that made for good free pizza.

[Daxin]

OMG, I used to love going there on Mondays for all you can eat pizza by the slice. The one on Southport rd. mmm.

[clem24]

:werd: I loved Mothers in Beddington Mall. Back when it was just K-Mart and Safeway. Also loved going to Finningans Hamburgers in the same mall. Oh the memories... :love:

[no_joke]

Yeah Mother's was still in the Beddington mall up until at least the late 90s (like 1997). I might have some memories mixed up but I think they may have been around to ~2001 then Beddington mall renovated. I do miss walking down there to grab a slice...

[mmckeown]

Back in 1975, I started making pizzas at Mother's Pizza in Burlington Ontario, I knew Grey Sisson, the founder, and Norm Platt. Because of these people and Mothers, I have been in Pizza all my life. With Panago, Pizza Hut and Domino's.
I am glad that I have assisted in the way Pizza is regarded in Canada! It is not Junk Food!
Mark Mckeown
Former Director Operations Panago
Former National Delivery Manager Pizza Hut
Former Western Consultant Domino's Pizza
Freelance Restaurant Operations Consulant

[Kritafo]

Well if you talk to the owner of Mothers the founder of Mothers is living in Calgary and pops in for sauce sometimes. My own cousin owned two of them in Windsor ON, I love their Thai chicken pizza..yeah not on the traditional menu.

[Pacman]

Originally posted by mmckeown
Back in 1975, I started making pizzas at Mother's Pizza in Burlington Ontario, I knew Grey Sisson, the founder, and Norm Platt. Because of these people and Mothers, I have been in Pizza all my life. With Panago, Pizza Hut and Domino's.
I am glad that I have assisted in the way Pizza is regarded in Canada! It is not Junk Food!
Mark Mckeown
Former Director Operations Panago
Former National Delivery Manager Pizza Hut
Former Western Consultant Domino's Pizza
Freelance Restaurant Operations Consulant

When I lived in Burlington, we used to get Pizza from Mothers all the time. I think it was on New Street or Lakeshore Blvd. This would have been in the late 70's early 80's.

[hmtktdh]

Any chance we could get the lowdown on why the closed? They seemed to have closed up shop for no apparent reason. No news, no press, no nothing. None that I'm aware of anyway.

If it's true that the chain was founded in Burlington, it follows, then , that it was an institution in Hamliton. Besides, nothing grows in Hamilton anyway. Except the smell.....:D

[Kritafo]

hey hey hey....Hamilton is a fine place, no smell on the Mountain!

and if I remember correctly ownership changed and then things quickly went down hill. I know my cousin had to buy them out-right to use the name.

Man I love their cheesy garlic bread, the movies they played and you could buy a coke float.

In my hometown, in turned into a funeral home.

[hustle24*7]

:thumbsdow for mothers pizza

[jamsandwich]

Thumbs down? I've got to swing by and pick up a menu... until I saw this thread bumped I didn't realize how close I'd moved to the restaurant. Hopefully they're still around (and it's as good as I remember)

[Kritafo]

last time I had it, a few months back it was terrific. my kids always get Panzerotti. We have been getting the Thai chicken pizza. It's certainly not think crust so if your into think crust this isn't for you. Don't try to compare it with Vogglio's D'Pizza because Mothers was a chain, and their menu still reflects that. They are very different pizza types.

I love both.

[hmtktdh]

I'm flying in for Stampede this summer. A visit to Mother's Pizza is on my list of things to do while I'm in town. The phone number listed in this thread is still listed as Mother's at Country Hills Landing NW. I need to verify the restaurant's location and existence. I've been reading that it's located in the Beddinton area. I assume this is the location Kristafo has been refering to. Is it the only one left? Any info would be helpful.

BTW: The pic of the Mother's logo is not shopped. I don't remember where I found it but if anyone shopped it, it wasn't me. It looks like a old scan of an original.

[Kritafo]

yes it's that location Mother's Pizza - 403-295-8760
Country Hills Landing NW , Calgary , AB T3K 5P4

[hmtktdh]

Are they in the mall, or in a separate building at the same address?

[Kritafo]

It's a little strip mall, and they are in the end unit.

[hmtktdh]

I haven't been to Country Hills Landing yet, but the number above came up to a barber shop. I'm expecting to stop by there while I'm in town during Stampede.

[Kritafo]

Country Hills Landing NW
Calgary, AB T3K 5P4
(403) 295-8760

I just called, that is the number

[hmtktdh]

On my second try, the number did come up as Mother's Pizza. Are they delivery only, takeout only, or do they have a dining room? Still trying to get to the place.

[Kritafo]

Originally posted by hmtktdh
On my second try, the number did come up as Mother's Pizza. Are they delivery only, takeout only, or do they have a dining room? Still trying to get to the place.

I do believe they deliver, but I am not 100% sure how far away they deliver. We have to drive about 1/2 to get there. It's not like it used to be with the big restaurant, but they do have a small bar counter you can eat at. We usually order the pizza go there, get plates and eat a slice before heading home with the rest of the pizza.

[CokerRat]

There was one down in the south just off MacLeod Trail and south of Southland Drive -- where the BP's is now. Good memories of hockey wind-up parties and stuff there and yeah the pizza was awesome.

[turtle]

Mothers was founded by 3 men back in the 70's. In the early 80's they went public . In 1986 there was a leveraged buyout and Jerry White became CEO of the organization. An extremely controversial figure (http://www.bylo.org/news/drjwhite.html)
White was considered by many to be the main reason for the downfall of Mother's. Despite selling franchises to a group of Toronto Blue Jays worth app 10 million and getting Blue Jay endorsements thibngs were not good.Business decisions were made which were ludicrous to mangers of stores. A one number phone system was introduced as a trial project which did nothing but slow down service and suck huge amounts of cash out of the restaurants. By the fall of 1988 bills were going unpaid. The company went into receivership in early 1989. Some assets were sold to Little Caesar's and franchisees had options to purchase outright. Jerry went on to teach Entrepreneurial studies at the University of Toronto, proving once again that 'those who can do, and those who can't teach.' Accusations of plagiarism and resume inflation along side the accounts of his bankruptcy and bounced cheques don't seem to deter him from giving seminars on Financial Planning.Needless to say alot of Mother's employees, managers and suppliers were burned pretty bad. We still get asked"What ever happened to Mother's?" I loved their Mother's Day Mugs, Float Glasses, Grandmother's Pizza, Lunch specials, waitress outfits ( gingham apron, white cap and black velvet choker) Father's Night $2.99 Pizza. Good times !!

[copynpaste]

Ordering from this place tonight, will post back with thoughts. Theres about 9 of us, so ordering about $100 worth of pizza.

[copynpaste]

The pizza was pretty good tonight, but Lou's in Harvest hills as well is considerably better IMO. More money, but worth it.

[MoDo27]

Is Mothers still around in Ontario??? I havent seen one in YEARS.


To also mention, what happened to Pizza Delight? That was by-FAR- the best pizza!!

I guess they get taken out by all the small shops ???

best Pizza out there today is GODFATHERS!!!!

[Kritafo]

I am not sure about Ontario, but my cousin closed his 2 Mothers in the early 90's. But to my knowledge there are none left.

I love pizza delight and yes they are still in Ontario. They do have a website I used it last time I was home.

[nonlinear]

sorry to bump a thread from the dead, but...

been thinking about making the voyage north to visit this place, but i'm just wondering what style/genre of pizza this is? in terms of crust, sauce, ingredient sourcing, oven type, etc.

do they use fresh ingredients and real cheese? does anyone know if they make the dough on site, or do they use frozen dough balls?

[hmtktdh]

There hasn't been a Mother's in Ontario for 20 years. Pizza Delight, on the other hand, scaled back operations some years ago and now operate in some of the smaller towns, like Cambridge and Fergus. The do have a '.ca'

I wasn't able to find the Mother's in Calgary's north end while I was there last summer for Stampede Week. Think I read the map wrong & made a bad turn. I don't think I'll make it back this year, tho. If I do return to Calgary it is still on my list of places to visit.

[HuMz]

Originally posted by MoDo27
Is Mothers still around in Ontario??? I havent seen one in YEARS.


To also mention, what happened to Pizza Delight? That was by-FAR- the best pizza!!

I guess they get taken out by all the small shops ???

best Pizza out there today is GODFATHERS!!!!

Theres a pizza delight in Evergreen, but I don't know how anyone could say its by far the best pizza. I worked there for over a year when it opened and the quality/prep/recipes are absolute garbage....half there food is semi - microwaved.

[ExtraSlow]

Pizza delight is garbage.

[nj2Type-S]

Originally posted by HuMz


Theres a pizza delight in Evergreen, but I don't know how anyone could say its by far the best pizza. I worked there for over a year when it opened and the quality/prep/recipes are absolute garbage....half there food is semi - microwaved.

lol, no wonder....i've only tried that place out once and i was not impressed whatsoever. getta pizza from across the street is actually way better.