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When Don Robinson , now CEO and President , purchased PARLOUR in 2019 , it was never intended to become more than a personal investment . Drawn in by the truly unique concept that not only grew during the Covid-19 pandemic , but also provides a niche offering in the pizza market , Don has grown the business from a single site to a continuously growing portfolio of inviting restaurants with high-quality food , craft beer , and a comfortable atmosphere . Founded as PARLOUR Pizza + Pints in 2017 , Don enjoyed frequenting the restaurant with his wife , Teresa . “ PARLOUR opened as a single unit in Jeffersonville , Indiana , which is coincidentally my hometown , so I often visited and was always impressed with the cool , comfortable atmosphere , but felt that it never hit its full potential ,” Don begins . “ I knew one of the owners back then , so I would often contact him to express my interest in the site if the owners ever wanted to sell . It went on for two years before , to my delight , they decided to .
“ We purchased the business in August 2019 , which was never intended to be more than an investment in a restaurant I enjoyed visiting and was located in my hometown . Obviously , the pandemic hit in March 2020 , but amidst the chaos , I realized that we had something incredibly special ; we attracted people from across the river and started receiving great feedback about the food and beverages . That ’ s when we took a leap of faith and I launched myself into the business with a growth mindset .
“ My wife often says that there ’ s a fine line between idiot and genius – and I walk it ,” Don laughs . “ So , against all odds , we grew to four sites during the pandemic , through purchasing a few restaurants that had closed and rebranding them as PARLOUR venues . Luckily for us , it paid off , and our elevated pizza concept quickly gained traction across the region .
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