We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Dusty and Jami Schumacher, owners of Schmuker's Pizza.
The word beacon has its origin in Old English when its meaning referred to a signal or lighthouse. Beacons were used not only by ships and later by airfields as a warning or guidance system but as a means for carrying news. A fire or light set up in a high or prominent position could also provide a sign of celebration. Since the 1600s, the word beacon has figuratively referred to a person or thing that illuminates or inspires.
Drawing from these historical meanings, once a month, the Journal will run a story in a Feature Forum called Blaine County Beacon, which will illuminate the achievements of Blaine County residents. This beacon will shine not only in celebration but as a means for bringing the celebrated person "back home." Anyone wishing to recommend a person for consideration for this feature should contact Donna L. Miller or the Journal.
By Donna L. Miller
BCJ News
As a teenager, Dusty Schumacher worked at various cafés and decided he liked the work. However, when he graduated from Turner High School in 1997, he went to work for ten years on a ranch instead. When Ken and Cynthia Dillon decided they wanted to sell their business, Hitching Post Pizza, located at 104 S. Main in Harlem, Dusty and his wife Jami (Richman) expressed interest.
"Whether you're working on a ranch or you own your own business, it's a matter of being self-driven to make it," Schumacher said. "I'm not afraid of hard work."
Although neither member of the work force was surprised by the grueling elements of the job and the stress of "doing everything yourself," the pair were not prepared for their first set-back. After purchasing Hitching Post Pizza and being in operation for ten years, the building that housed the business sold, forcing the couple to move out and look for another location. "We had to get out of there, and without a backup plan, we had to do some quick financial thinking and on-the-spot planning. That was pretty scary," Schumacher declared, "because we were trying to make this a viable food business, and all of our income was getting used in daily operations. We didn't have extra capital for a new space."
However, looking back, they called their dislodgement a blessing in disguise since the building collapsed a few months later.
When the Schumachers finally found a location and moved, they decided to make the business truly theirs, changing the name to Schmuker's Pizza. According to Schumacher's wife, "Dusty's uncle Kip Schumacher owned a bar in Joplin many years ago with Schmukers as the name. We liked it, so Damian, Jevyn (our boys), Dusty, and I voted to carry it on," she said.
Their current location at 67 South Main in Harlem doesn't have the space for seating and dining service, so they are a take-out only restaurant. The take-out service is available from Tuesday-Friday, from 11ish-7ish. Schmukers celebrated its one year anniversary this past July.
"We survived the move and the chaos all that involved, so now we just have the busy days to cope with. It's a challenge just to finish on time and get the pizzas out the door some days," Schumacher exclaimed.
"And we couldn't have done any of this without the help of our boys. Both still help out when they can. Damian, our oldest son, is on his second year in college. He helps out almost every day after classes. Jevyn is a senior in high school and helps out whenever he can, but he's very involved with Harlem High School activities," Schumacher said.
While Schmukers features sixteen different pizzas on the menu, and all the combinations that creating one's own might entail, they also serve nachos, super nachos, pizza pockets, and pasta. The pizzas come in four sizes: small (10"), medium (12"), large (14") and super (18"). "Someday, we hope to have a party size pizza, but that will require a larger oven, and that purchase won't be happening any time soon," the Schumachers stated.
According to the couple, their top sellers tend to be The Jev, a chicken, bacon, ranch pizza with avocado and tomato; and The Gramma Pam, a pie with marinara sauce, sauerkraut, Canadian bacon, green onions, and artichoke hearts. This pizza is named after Schumacher's mother and gives a nod to his German heritage. The Jev is Jevyn's favorite and named after their youngest son. In fact, each of the Schumachers has a favorite on the menu: The Pizza Man, The Boss Lady, The Bubba (Damian's nickname), and The Jev.
"Another signature item here is our dough. We make it fresh multiple times a day," Schumacher said.
In addition to these food choices, Schumuker's offers sides and appetizers like cheese bread sticks, hot wings, chicken nuggets, and jalapeno poppers. Two specialty sides are their Sinna Stix-which are bread sticks dusted with cinnamon and sugar-and Angel Bread, which is made with two varieties of cheese and bacon bits. They also serve Italian sodas.
When asked in what direction he hoped to move the business, Schumacher replied, "Forward! We want to continue the reputation of our 25-year-old pizza recipe and to remain in business with a quality product to sell. We have that history to uphold," he added.
"My wife and I have lived and worked together for 20 years, and one thing we had to learn was to leave the stresses of work at the door, not take them home. We have another life when we leave work, and that's an important lesson for any business owner," Schumacher stated.
He also offers this advice, "If you're in business, you're going to have ups and downs. Remain positive. You can't let the slow times eat you up!"
Anyone with questions or wishing to place an order can call Schumuker's Pizza at 406-353-4777.
