Family business closes pizza oven for good

After five years in business, the popular Plainland pizza shop that offered a ‘personal family touch’ to dining is closing shop.

LAST PIZZA: Mary and Corey Spencer have closed the doors to their popular eatery Spencer's Pizza and Takeaway, Plainland, after a "difficult but rewarding" five-year journey.

IT ALL began as a dream to bring a “personal family touch” to food and dining but, five years later, family is the reason one pizza shop is closing.

The owners of Spencer’s Pizza and Takeaway, Plainland, announced the restaurant was closing and had its last day of business on Sunday.

Spencer's Pizza and Takeaway, Plainland pizzas.

Co-owner Corey Spencer, who is a professional baker, said the idea of starting the business grew after he bought pizzas from a national pizza chain and realised he could do a better job.

“They came to $46 and, to be honest, they tasted like rubbish,” Mr Spencer said.

“So I thought, let’s have a go – we can do better than this.”

He got to work developing a recipe for the perfect pizza base, testing it out on his friends and bakers whose opinions he respected.

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“I made about 40 different varieties to get my bases right and took them around to my mentors in the area,” he said.

“I wanted to make something from scratch and use as many local products as we could.”

But after a “difficult but rewarding” journey, the Spencers decided to shut the doors for the final time so they could focus more on family.

Co-owner Corey Spencer said he made more than 40 different recipes before perfecting the base for the pizzas.

“The last time we had a holiday was in September 2015, and I can count on my hands the number of family dinners we have had,” Mr Spencer said.

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“I would work the night and Mary would work the day – we had to be around all the time.”

Now, the couple will focus on different aspects of life, with Mrs Spencer returning to full-time nursing and Mr Spencer on the lookout for a trade apprenticeship.

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“We just bought a recreational vehicle so we can go out to the bush, go to the beach,” he said.

“And if there is anyone in the area who has a mature-age apprenticeship they’d like to offer me, I’d certainly want to do it.”

Read more stories by Ebony Graveur.

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