In 1973, LJ and Lenore Moser uprooted their family from Indiana to Arizona, selling everything they owned to open a pizza franchise.
It was a huge gamble for a couple who’d never worked in a restaurant, but their LJ’s Pizza would eventually have customers lining up around the building to lunch on the popular buffet.
But hard times have fallen on the west Mesa restaurant, which will serve its last pizza in May.
The news has trickled out but owner Clay Moser hasn’t made an announcement about the restaurant founded by his late parents.
“Every one of my customers would come up and say, ‘Why is that?’ ” Moser said. “It would take a half-hour to tell everybody.”
The reasons: LJ’s is losing money. The lease is up and the landlord won’t lower the rent. Food prices are soaring. The surrounding neighborhood is in decline. The number of pizzas served at the buffet alone fell from 69,000 a year in the 1990s to 18,000 last year.
“Dad always told me, when it quits being fun, get out,” Moser said.
The business was always a family affair, with Moser first working there as a teen with his brother and sister. Family pictures from years past greet customers at the entrance, along with autographed photos of customers like G. Gordon Liddy, Merle Haggard and other entertainers and athletes.
“It’s like a family member dying,” said Moser, 52. “It is sad but I’m so relieved. I’ve been doing it since I was 14. I’m ready to move on.”
The business began as a Pizza Inn franchise but the Mosers became independent in the late 1970s, at a time when many of LJ’s competitors didn’t exist or hadn’t entered the market yet. Moser said his father was a truck driver of 20 years who ate in restaurants constantly, and decided to run his pizzeria based on how he liked to be treated as a customer. Even today, customers remember LJ greeting them at the door and checking on their visit.
Customer Steve Ehle of Mesa began going to LJ’s in the 1970s as a teenager and now brings his grandchildren there. His favorite memory involves a family gathering where some of the kids pulled a prank by loading his mother’s purse with silverware along with salt and pepper shakers.
“When she got home and saw it, she was so embarrassed and went back the next morning and apologized to LJ and asked him not to call the cops on her,” Ehle said.
LJ laughed, Ehle said, and treated her to a free buffet.
Moser will continue the catering side of LJ’s and may also consult new restaurant owners. He’s starting a guided tour company called Sonora Jack’s, taking customers on outdoor excursions with walk-in tents, beds, homestyle meals and entertainment.
As the closure news spread, customers have urged waitresses to revive the business at a new location, said Debbie Moser, Clay’s sister-in-law and an employee there since 1973. She’s looking into it and has been assembling an email list of supporters at Dmoser56@gmail.com. She got 150 addresses in just days, which bolstered her idea of keeping the business alive.
“When you have that kind of customer love or customer concern, that’s a big asset,” Debbie Moser said.
The stretch of Main Street by LJ’s has lost many stores in recent years, including Mervyn’s, then the POOL marketplace that replaced it, a bowling alley, Matta’s Mexican restaurant and more. Moser had LJ’s, at 1038 E. Main St., for sale for 18 months but got no offers even after cutting the price in half. Clay entertained various ways to close and determined the end will come unceremoniously in May.
“So one Monday morning, I’m just not going to be open and I haven’t decided on that date,” he said. “I really don’t want the fanfare. I’ve knocked it around for so long.”
• Contact writer: (480) 898-6548 or ggroff@evtrib.com
1badcfh posted at 12:57 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
[sad] Nooooooooo! Please find another location and keep feeding me your wonderful pizza!
Queens pizzeria posted at 1:20 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
Queen's Pizzeria & Cafe will still be serving the downtown Mesa area with great food, so come down and give us a try today. Now with help from some of the staff from LJ's!
We are open 7 day a week till 10pm or later
Leon Ceniceros posted at 1:31 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
GREAT PIZZA...WHERE ELSE CAN YOU EAT PIZZA OF THAT QUALITY.
THE ONLY PIZZA PLACE WHERE I CAN EAT THE HAWAIIAN PIZZA. MY FAVORITE IS THE PEPPERONI....MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
CHINA CHINA RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR IS WONDERFUL TOO.
YOU GET A BASKET OF WONTON CHIPS AND SWEET/SOUR DIP, A NICE BOWL OF SOUP (EGG FLOWER IS MY FAVORITE) AND A NICE BIG ENTREE WITH WONDERFUL FRIED RICE ....AND A FORTUNE COOKIE WITH DRINK FOR UNDER $8 BUCKS.
Slabside posted at 4:11 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
Sad to see them close. Also hate to see another carneceria open in it's place.
samkat posted at 5:29 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
Unfortunately the entire area is going to the dogs as the illegal population keeps expanding. Oh no, that can't be. Janet said the border security is the best it has ever been.
Otis C posted at 6:56 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
@Queenspizzeria- That was a lame,shameful attempt to get business. I've been to your place and the pizza doesn't hold a candle to LJ's, and the service was less than stellar. I planned on never setting foot in there again, and I won't.
Queens pizzeria posted at 7:33 pm on Tue, Apr 26, 2011.
Sorry, but how is it shameful to let people know that a mom and pop pizza shop still will be serving handmade pizzas in the downtown area. We are taking on LJ employees to help them continue paying bills.
I’m sorry if you really came in and had bad service; we have a great staff and take pride in our food.
gonetothedogs posted at 8:09 am on Wed, Apr 27, 2011.
Sorry to see them go, but the pizza has changed the last few years. Clay has been very indifferent to his customers. Time to move on.
@ Queens Pizzeria, Your product sucks and so did the service! I think I would be working on solving your problems before you take on someone elses!
Leon Ceniceros posted at 1:32 am on Thu, Apr 28, 2011.
TRY ...CHINA CHINA RESTAURANT ...NEXT DOOR TO ...TJ'S (SORRY TO SEE THEM GO...GREAT PIZZA AND SERVICE).
CHINA CHINA GIVES YOU LOTS OF GOOD FOOD FOR THE MONEY (TWICE COOKED CHICKEN IS MY FAVORITE)...I GET TO PRACTICE USING CHOP STICKS TOO....LOL.
Carol-FH posted at 12:48 pm on Thu, Apr 28, 2011.
Please consider opening in another location!!! Our children grew up loving LJ's for the food and the people. Sorry to hear this news, but the deterioration of the area has hurt many businesses. What's happening to Mesa? It used to be known as such a clean town.
Daddyburger posted at 8:29 am on Sat, Apr 30, 2011.
LJ's:
As a longtime LJ's customer and "lover" I am sorry to see them go. Haven't been there many times since we moved to far east valley, but they still have one of the best pizzas in the east valley. Location is problem. I think they could compete well in far east valley if they decide to relocate. At present l travel to Main and Sossaman to Sourdough Pizza to get a decent pie. Please consider the area of Baseline and Signal Butte--not much competition there. Hate to see you go!
Retiree2000 posted at 4:23 pm on Sat, Apr 30, 2011.
Unfortunately, at most places a person can't get a real "thin crust" pizza. I loved dueling the snowbirds for a piece of barbecue pizza and will miss LJ's after eating there for the past 38 years! I felt the same way when Cristel's shut down a few years ago. Soon all we'll have are chain restaurants and that is just sad!
Joe4x4 posted at 9:35 am on Tue, May 10, 2011.
It is dam shame that LJ's is closing. I have been eating there for over 33 years. Heck I am even have my picture on the wall. Pizza in the valley will never be the same without LJ's.. Good luck my friend. I hope you have time to enjoy life now.