A Grand Junction "history" Facebook page is going bonkers with residents' fond memories of the old Shakey's Pizza Parlor located on North Avenue. Considering how much we all miss it, would it be possible to bring it back. Does the chain still exist?

The Facebook page "You Know You're From Grand Junction When..." has enjoyed a considerable amount of traffic following a recent post about Shakey's. Some debate emerged as to the location of the Shakey's Pizza Parlor in Grand Junction. In the 1970's, I recall it being out towards Teller Arms. At another time in its history, the restaurant was located on North Avenue between 8th and 9th.

Yeah, that's me in the straw hat. I'm guessing this would be my 6th birthday party, April 1976, at the Grand Junction Shakey's location. You used to get these awesome hats on your birthday.

What's the big deal about Shakey's? Well, for starters, they had a big screen TV, as in singular big screen TV, where they would show old movies This was back in the day when big screen TV's were something to behold. Secondly, they had straw hats.

If memory serves, the pizza was pretty good, and for the over 18 crowd (you only had to be 18 back then to drink) the beer was fantastic.

Did the entire Shakey's chain go the way of the Dodo? Not hardly. It still exists.

The Shakey's legend began in 1954 in Sacrament, California. At present, most Shakey's locations can be found in Southern California, with a few stores located in Alabama, Central Mexico, and all over the Philippines.

What would it cost to start a Shakey's? First, you'll need a building, which in the case of this franchise, requires a minimum of 4,500 square feet. Second, the initial franchise fee is $35,000.00. Lastly, the ongoing royalty fee and advertising fees equal 5% each. The Shakey's corporation estimates the initial start-up costs of a restaurant at $584.000.00.

Jump to it! Grand Junction needs a Shakey's. Okay, so this town already has a pizza joint on every corner. What about it? Somebody should run right out and start a Shakey's Pizza Parlor in Grand Junction right this instant.

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