Shakey’s was a Pizza Parlor more than a music venue, but one of its distinctive characteristics was its old-time banjo and honky-tonk piano that you could clap your hands to – if your hands weren’t all gooey with pizza.  Words to songs were projected on a screen so you could sing along – if your mouth wasn’t too gooey with pizza.

SHAKEY’S HISTORY

From Wikipedia:

Shakey’s Pizza was founded in Sacramento on April 30, 1954, by Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson and Ed Plummer. Johnson’s nickname resulted from nerve damage following a bout of malaria suffered during World War II.

Shakey personally played Dixieland jazz piano to entertain patrons, also hiring the original members of the Silver Dollar Jazz Band, paying the musicians $10 each plus all the beer and pizza they wanted. (Shakey soon realized it was cheaper to pay the musicians scale). Shakey Johnson is honored in the American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City for his longtime use of banjo music at his pizza parlors. Other live music, including piano, was also a staple in the old Shakey’s parlors. Up until the early 1970s, printed menus included lyrics to classic barbershop songs so that the customers could sing along with the band while their meals were being prepared.

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SHAKEY’S IN MINNESOTA

The first Shakey’s in the area opened on August 8, 1964, at 500 E. 78th Street in Richfield (North of 494 near Portland).  The franchise was opened by Richard Lupu, who owned 11 of 17 Minnesota franchises.

 

Unfortunately, on the grand opening, the pizza-making equipment had not yet arrived, so all the place could serve was beer.

In his entertainment column, Will Jones reviewed the new facility:

The pizza served at [Shakey’s] is no better than the pizza at a lot of other places.  But the patented, franchised fake pub atmosphere and merchandising that surround the place are fun.  It’s sort of the Uncle John’s of pizzadom.

The pizzas are rolled and baked in full view beyond big picture windows, in a kitchen complete with such Shakey’s touches as refrigerators labeled ICEA BOXA.

The cigarette machine is encased in wood paneling and is labeled, “Ye Olde Fags.” [So many anachronisms there..]  The walls are loaded with signs like “Shakey made a deal with the bank.  Shakey doesn’t cash checks.  The bank doesn’t make pizza.”

Customers sit on low, sturdy wood stools at long, low community tables of dark wood, and fetch their own pizza and beer.  Light and dark domestic beers and one light German import are available either by stein or by pitcher.  There’s a large public room for adults and the children who come with them; there’s a separate beerless room for unaccompanied teenagers.  At night a banjo-and-piano duo entertains in the larger room.  (Minneapolis Tribune, August 17, 1964)

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By 1965, Shakey’s was advertising 21 different varieties of pizza.  Most ads were pretty dull, but this one was fun – if you can read it!

 

STEWS AND VIKINGS

Shakey’s was featured in a piece about area pizza parlors in the Sunday Picture Magazine (Minneapolis Tribune, October 17, 1965).  It mentioned that pasta was also available.  It also promised sightings of “real live Twins, Vikings and airline stewardesses,” due to the Richfield location’s proximity to the airport and Met Stadium.  Pictured in the Picture Magazine were two Northwest Airlines Stewardesses and Vikings Mike Tilleman and Frank McClendon.  Shakey’s was also popular with the young people who populated the many apartment buildings in the area.

Also shown were Don Lunning on the banjo and Glenn (Brandy) Brandenburg at the brass tack piano.

 

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STOP THE MUSIC

With more competition, the format changed, and the banjos and pianos were out in 1975.

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The ad below has no date, but note that the music is gone.  Local Twin Cities locations listed are:

• Minneapolis (U of M Campus)
• St. Paul
• Burnsville
• West St. Paul
• Richfield
• Columbia Heights
• Minnetonka  (building built in 1972)
• Falcon Heights (until 1990)
• St. Louis Park (Service Road of now 394)

 

 

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STOP THE SHAKEY’S

One by one, the 17 Shakey’s franchises in Minnesota began to disappear.  The last one to close in the Metro was the first one opened:  Richfield.  By 1990, the only Shakey’s left in Minnesota was in Rochester, which was still there in 2002.