Heather and Carri Chambers-Plett opened Our Little Pizza Place just a few months ago, marking the first ‘take and bake’ to make it north of Highway 198.
Carri worked in a pizza shop growing up in Dinuba and always wanted to run her own business. She left her job after working with the Boys and Girls Club for more than 14 years to open Our Little Pizza Place and mentor children in Visalia, just like she was.
Getting here wasn’t easy, either.
With construction and rent prices on the rise, Our Little Pizza Place, located at 310 N. Mooney Blvd., next to Starbucks off Riggin Avenue, was close to staying a dream rather than a reality. But with the help of family and friends, the shop opened earlier this year.
“We’re eventually going to put together a plaque thanking everybody who helped support us,” Heather said, “because there’s no way we could have done this without them.”
Family members have picked up shifts to help out around the place, while others have donated items, like the 100-year-old oak countertop customers order from.
When you first walk into the building and walk up to the counter, you are greeted by pizza, sandwich, salad and calzone options on a menu board.
You order by circling exactly what you want – from meat and vegetable products to pizza sauces – or you can select one of their specialty pizza options.
They even have a secret menu!
“Everything is customizable,” Heather said. “I think that’s pretty unique because a lot of our customers come in and say, ‘Oh, other places don’t let you customize, or they upcharge for everything you want.’ ”
The red sauce and dough are homemade, while some of the other products are purchased locally – they purchase olives from Lindsay and bread from a local baker, for example.
“Quality means a lot to us, we take pride in that,” Heather said. “Ingredients and good quality food should be available to everybody. We’re excited we get to do that.”
Our Little Pizza Place has plans for future expansion, too; eventually, the outdoor area will be enclosed so customers to enjoy their sandwiches and salads outdoors. For those with little kids or kids at heart, the shop has multiple board games, tic-tac-toe and chalkboards to pass the time.
For now, customers just get to drive up to pick up their food to enjoy at home, the way they want.
“We have tons of customers that barbeque pizzas, put them in their smokers, and tell me about how they turned out,” Carri said. “It’s so cool.”
Hours: Open-Closed: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Location: 310 N. Mooney Blvd.
Information: 746-4255, ourlittlepizzaplace@gmail.com
This business spotlight is part of a series of stories highlighting local spots in Tulare County. If you know someone with a great story, reach out to ljennings@gannett.com
Lauren Jennings covers education and news for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow her on Twitter @lolojennings. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.
Our Little Pizza Place brings take-and-bake to homes in northwest Visalia – Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register
