Three young entrepreneurs have proudly opened their doors to their new shop in Fernie; Funky Goat Pizza, an artisan pizza restaurant located at Unit C, 362 2 Avenue.
Jody Moench, Eric Epperson and Ryan Gerard, long time friends and residents of Fernie, saw the space become available and jumped at the opportunity to, “bring something fresh, fun and funky to Fernie.”
Epperson, a resident of Fernie for five years, Gerard, two, and Moench, a newcomer from Alberta have been in the restaurant industry for many years.
Each have taken on different roles in numerous restaurants, each with the common goal of one day building a business together.
“People love pizza, it’s the perfect food,” said Epperson. “Bread, meat, cheese and veggies, it kind of gets all your food groups in one thing.”
For Moench, this is the fourth pizza shop he has been involved with.
“Owning a pizza shop is super fun, and the hours are good for doing activities. It’s a sweet little setup, and (we are) definitely off to a good start,” said Moench.
It’s Halloween night and customers are knocking on their door almost an hour before they open, itching to place their order before the rush begins. Speaking to this, the owners mutually agreed that it’s great to be this busy so quickly.
The shop has been in operation now for one month, which the owners say was ‘incredible’, and much busier than expected.
Funky Goat’s menu features a variety of signature pizzas, each with their own unique name and qualities.
From Falling Star to Snake Bite, Mushroom Head and Eco-Terrorist, the names are inspired by many of the popular biking and hiking trails that surround the downtown core.
As far as the name of the shop, the group wanted to associate their brand with their wild surroundings.
Moench said they aim to change the way people think about pizza.
“We want to do stuff that’s different, have different kinds of toppings and get people excited (to) try different things, unique things,” he said.
“We’re just really looking to bring a different twist on pizza to Fernie, have fun with it, and just be a funky, fresh, new pizza joint.”
“With a space like this, you can’t take yourself too seriously,” added Epperson. “We can’t be too formal or too serious, so that’s the inspiration behind our entire idea; just have fun with it.”
However, Moench stressed that some things don’t need improving. The base, he explained, always starts with old-school fresh-made dough, followed by a signature sauce from scratch, quality vegetables and meats.
The shop offers 15 signature pizzas, as well as a create-your-own option for those who want to get creative. The shop also offers a cauliflower gluten-free crust, as well a house-made almond ricotta vegan cheese.
Funky Goat offers free delivery in town, and a $3 fee to deliver to Fernie Alpine Resort, or Hosmer.
The shop is currently hiring for several positions. For more information on this, contact the shop.
Check out their menu online at bringthefunk.ca
