Fifty years ago in 1974, three recent college grads had an idea to start a new pizza restaurant. Not only did they want to offer delicious pizzas, they also wanted to embody the feel-good vibes of the 70s. And thus, Mellow Mushroom was born.
The first Mellow Mushroom restaurant was located near Georgia Tech’s campus on Spring Street. Though the building no longer exists, the ideals and aesthetics that Mellow Mushroom established there still apply to the brand today. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company’s vision statement is to “provide delicious food in a fun and creative environment.”
Epitomizing the freewheeling culture of the times, Mellow Mushroom’s artistic ties go back to its very first iteration. The young founders didn’t have an abundance of money, and so they had to get creative both with the design elements of the restaurant as well as the way it functioned.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?fit=450%2C229&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?fit=780%2C397&ssl=1″ data-id=”237580″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=780%2C397&ssl=1″ alt class=”wp-image-237580″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=1024%2C521&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=450%2C229&ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=768%2C391&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=1536%2C782&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=1200%2C611&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=600%2C305&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=1568%2C798&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=400%2C204&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=706%2C359&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?resize=150%2C76&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1-1024×521.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>
I spoke with Elizabeth Brasch, the Senior Director of Brand for Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers, who told me how that first restaurant didn’t have enough tables inside. The creative solution they came up with was to buy a school bus and park it outside to provide additional seating.
“There was a huge rise in artwork and values around individualism and self expression and peace-era positivity, so as they looked to [establish] the restaurant concept it really just represented them, and their belief system. It was different from what you may see in a more stereotypical space,” said Brasch.
Early on, a distinct character began to emerge from the artwork displayed at Mellow Mushroom. ‘Mel,’ a laid-back mushroom wearing a newsboy style hat, first emerged in 1974. Mel has undergone many transformations in the years since but his happy expression and whimsical, fun, and funky aesthetics have remained steadfast throughout all the changes.
Back in 2023 Mellow Mushroom officially underwent its first major rebrand. Disconnecting Mel from the Mellow Mushroom logo and instead positioning him as a “friend of the brand” has allowed the company to utilize him in more innovative and creative ways. He often appears as a large 3D character and sometimes is hidden in the designs for merch and menus.
Mel is seen as a cultural representation that personifies the offbeat spirit of Mellow Mushroom’s brand and appeals to visitors both young and old. Locally, many Atlantans will be familiar with the oversized Mel sculpture that Mellow Mushroom donated to the Atlanta Beltline and now resides on the eastside trail near Krog Street Tunnel. “He means something to everyone,” said Brasch.
Expansive Vision
Today, Mellow Mushroom has expanded to over 100 locations, and every single restaurant has a completely unique artwork package. Enlisting the help of local artists to design custom murals for the restaurants, each location’s visual elements are inspired by the surrounding area.
“For example, in Florida locations you might see elements that are much more tropical and peachy, but in mountain towns like Asheville, Boone, or Blowing Rock, you see art content that is clearly tied to the geography of the area,” Brasch explained. Each location also has a completely distinct floor plan in addition to custom artwork.
The team at Mellow Mushroom has managed to hold true to their values – namely excellent pizza offered in creative, artistic surroundings – for fifty years now, and that doesn’t just happen by accident. Core aspects of the brand’s value system such as excellent quality ingredients, top-notch pizza offerings, and compelling, unique artwork in each location have remained consistent throughout the changes brought on by half a century of growth.
“It really provides this multi sensory experience when you’re dining in our restaurants,” said Brasch.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?fit=450%2C417&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?fit=780%2C724&ssl=1″ data-id=”237589″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=780%2C724&ssl=1″ alt class=”wp-image-237589″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=1024%2C950&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=450%2C417&ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=768%2C712&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=1536%2C1425&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=1200%2C1113&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=600%2C557&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=1568%2C1454&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=400%2C371&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=706%2C655&ssl=1 706w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?resize=150%2C139&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/roughdraftatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Virginia-Beach-1024×950.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>
And those values aren’t just visible inside the restaurants. During the pandemic, Mellow Mushroom was affected by the restrictions and shutdowns just like any other restaurant chain and they adjusted their operations to better suit a populace that needed to order takeout rather than eating inside the restaurants.
Brasch and the team at Mellow Mushroom have held true to the strong art philosophy of Mellow Mushroom, and ensured that takeout packaging and other “brand touchpoints” would remain consistent across the board. Brasch explained that their commitment to artistic representations of Mellow Mushroom’s culture and ethos ensure customers “experience the brand both in the store and in their homes.”
In addition to the artistic aesthetics of the Mellow Mushroom brand that have ensured its position as one of America’s most iconic feel-good pizza restaurants, the brand also embraces an ethos of commitment to neighboring communities.
Giving Back
One of Mellow Mushroom’s most historic locations, considered to be a cornerstone of the brand, is located in Asheville, North Carolina. “It’s one that a lot of people have known about and talked about throughout the years,” explained Brasch.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene the Asheville restaurant was damaged, but for owner Gerry Mahon that was not about to stop the restaurant from serving its community. Within just a few days of impact, the team there cleaned up the restaurant and got busy making pizzas to donate to their neighbors during recovery efforts.
According to Brasch, Mahon is “heavily involved in that community, he has been there for decades, he knows everyone and on a regular basis he is really focused on giving back. He’s someone in particular that right when disaster struck he immediately set to work to take care of his staff and the community members in need.”
The good vibes at Mellow Mushroom go way deeper than just the aesthetics and response to an extreme weather event, however. Mellow Mushroom has also historically appealed to those who are artistic, expressive, and whose appearances might not have always been welcomed in more traditional settings. Mellow Mushroom is “a place that really embraces artistry, individualism, and self expression,” said Brasch.
Locally, Mellow Mushroom has just opened a new prototype store in Grant Park last week. The concept offers more expedient counter service which is better suited to urban footprints. While it’s smaller in size than other Mellow Mushroom locations, the commitment to art is still apparent.
At this location, the counter is situated below a giant mushroom statue. “When we were ideating on the design and feel of this restaurant, [we considered] how do we bring something unique into that space? Centered is a large mushroom statue, at the center of the whole experience,” explained Brasch.
The mural in the new Grant Park storefront was created by a collaboration between Atlanta artist Lela Brunet and Kathryn Crawford who hails from Asheville. Brasch told me that, in a weird twist of fate, Crawford was in Atlanta to finish the mural during Hurricane Helene’s ravaging of Asheville, and just after wrapping up her work here she headed back home to help her community recover.
Not only does the new Grant Park Mellow Mushroom location on the Atlanta Beltline embodies their trademark unique and artistic dining experience, this restaurant’s menu also offers unique pizzas that the brand is trying out.
You can find menu items here that you can’t find anywhere else, so I encourage pizza-lovers to make a plan to try out this newest location at 1015 Boulevard SE for themselves.
