by Satchel Raye
After spending most of my adult life wanting to open a pizza place, I inherited my grandparents’ Gainesville house in 2001 and was able to use the house as collateral to get a loan from the bank to open the pizzeria I always dreamed of. On March 7, 2003, I opened Satchel’s Pizza in an attempt to find a way to make a living doing something I truly loved, making art and pizza.
Satchel’s Pizza was intended to be an off-the-beaten-path “pizza joint” with a little flair and good pies. People seemed to really like the place and word of mouth spread fast in this small town. I always just wanted to be an artist. In my 20s I spent a lot of time wondering how I could make a living being an artist without going the formal “gallery and agent” route.
Satchel’s has allowed me to accomplish so many things I love. Besides making art and pizzas, I am interested in creating good jobs and a community gathering place. I love being able to give back to the community through grants and showcase live music nightly and new visual artists monthly.
I owe my success to my family and my staff. I am impressed every day by my staff and the hard work they put in to make Satchel’s successful. There is no Satchel’s without them and the part each of them plays in the orchestra.
Two decades is a long time to stick with anything: a marriage, a restaurant, or even just a hobby. I am proud of how far we’ve come and proud to be involved in the Gainesville community. We are here because of the customers, and we will continue to be here as you all continue to support us. Thank you.