Despite closure announcement, family behind Mr. D's Pizza hopes to find way to stay open
Dec. 15—The owners of Mr. D's Pizza might have announced that the restaurant was closing — but that outcome certainly isn't the preference.
Melissa Martin, one of the key figures in the family-owned business as the wife of Adam Martin, one of Mr. D's founder Don Martin's three sons, said that if anything can be done to save the longtime local pizzeria, they'd like to do so.
On December 6, the Mr. D's Pizza & Wholesale Supplies Facebook page featured a message from the Martin family expressing gratitude for the restaurant's many years of success — having opened in 1977 as one of Somerset's earliest pizza restaurants — but announcing that they would be closing Saturday, December 30. No specific reasons for the decision were given in that post.
But Melissa shared with the Commonwealth Journal more information about the situation — and the heart and soul of the business, Don Martin.
"In August Don had a really bad accident. He fell and hit his head," said Melissa. "He almost died. He had to have brain surgery. And that really was the catalyst that threw the family into a tailspin, and the business.
"That, along with the economy — it's just like the perfect storm," she added. "... We don't want to give up, but we had to make a decision."
Melissa noted that she's been in Mr. D's in some capacity for over 20 years. As such — and for those in the Martin family who have been there every step of the way — closing Mr. D's because of the adverse conditions wasn't just a business decision, it was intensely personal.
"It was so difficult for us as a family to make the decision that we were going to have to close," said Melissa. No one was happy with that decision. We cried. It was like we were mourning the loss of a family member."
They weren't the only ones sad about the idea of Mr. D's being no more. As soon as the announcement about the closure was made on the restaurant's Facebook page earlier this month, reaction from the community was strong, with people expressing dismay at the news and recalling fond memories of meals at Mr. D's in the past. That has also translated to busier days at the restaurant itself.
"We were really surprised by the community's outpouring of love and support," said Melissa. "I think sometimes we're just kind of easy to forget because we're not on U.S. 27. But we've just been shocked. Everyone's been coming in and telling us their stories. It's just so wonderful."
In addition to old friends, the restaurant has picked up curious new customers since making the closure announcement, said Melissa.
"We want to have hope as a family that maybe we could give this a go if we all work together," she said. "There were some thoughts that if we had the dine-in, sit-down, that could be something that would allow more customers to come."
In recent years, Mr. D's has had a narrow focus on carry-out as far as serving hot, fresh pizzas. That was a change made after Covid-19, when the restaurant had to close a dine-in space that was already relatively small; even before Covid, there weren't many tables available to eat in the restaurant.
Right now, things are largely up in the air as to the restaurant's future, said Melissa; "Some things would have to happen" to stay open, she noted.
The biggest factors in a potential future for Mr. D's, she said, are continued community support and better conditions in the economy — one of those being something locals can do something about, the other more a big picture concern.
Another consideration is who will step into Don Martin's shoes moving forward. "We're looking to see which family members could take it on," said Melissa. "... I don't want anyone to think that, 'Oh, the pizza will change because Don's not there.' If you've had a pizza from Mr. D's pizza, you've had a pizza from a family member who would be the person that would keep going with it. Every one of us has worked that pizza (for years).
"Then, do we have the ability to remodel, so that we could have the restaurant back open? We think that's necessary. We have to have more business. And just community support. Remembering us, that we're back there."
However, while location may be an issue, Mr. D's will remain "back there" facing west on Ky. 80, a road once well-traveled in Pulaski County as a main vein through the region, but one that has given way somewhat to the Cumberland Parkway and Ky. 914 bypass over the years.
"That's where we are," said Melissa. "It opened in 1977 right there and most people who, when they come home for holidays, they know right where it is. So we're maybe looking at more ways to let the community know where we are."
Mr. D's has also had a thriving wholesale business, with pizza kits available in different sizes with an assortment of toppings, going to to different stores and businesses. Melissa said that focusing only on wholesale wasn't in the plans; "If we continue, we would continue everything, the hot sale and the wholesale," she said.
If Mr. D's did last into 2024, Melissa knows that would be the preference of the man who started it all.
"Don has never, at any point in this, ever wanted to close," said Melissa. "He's unable to do it any more. ... He's 79, and it's just really taken a lot out of him. He's the hardest worker we know, so if it was his decision alone, he would be in there sitting in the chair making pizzas. He would never give up."
Melissa said that they should know more about the future of Mr. D's by the end of the year, and will make a public announcement "as soon as possible" if anything changes that will allow the restaurant to stay open.
"Everyone keeps asking us and we don't know right now. We wish we did," said Melissa. "... Right now, we're praying as a family, we're hoping for a miracle."
