Texas folk, need ur input

[sana]

good pizza is such a relative term.

i'm sure the greek ppl made good NY style pizza... the big slices of thin crust pizza that you can fold in half to stuff in your face. that's my personal favorite. the pizza place by my house makes a great sauce for their pies... i can suck down a whole large plain pie myself.

then there's good Chicago style pizza. the whole deep dish things is all based around a slightly crumbly crust and but the bottom of the crust can't be sloppy. my favorite Chicago style pizza is from Gino's East.

then there's weird Califorina style pizza where they put all weird ass shit on. i don't like that :p

[trip]

Doom,

Huntsville is the home of our state prison.

Have never lived there yet traveled through it several times.

Like a lot of Texas areas now a days, it was originally a small town atmosphere, that is just now growing up a bit and becoming more main stream.

Huntsville is now more on the order of a suburbia, with it's roots still in small town.

Texas by and large are a very different breed of people. They are very independent, what other state do hear that often says, "let's succeed from the nation, be our own country" it's said kind of jokingly with an undertone of seriousness.

Food wise they do not know what good italian food is. As an example they just DISCOVERED the bagle in the early '90's.

Your kind of right though, most are satisfied with the Olive Garden typ of place, decent food, lot's of it ( that's the habit they pick up from Mexican food, all the chips and tortilla's you want , and remember everything is big in texas ) and price wise is decent.

As time becomes limited people are more likely to stick with what they know.

In the cities there are lot's of great authentic Italian places, on average their clientel is very local, within a small radius. So, if you pick a place make sure it is in an area with alot of local traffic that's fits your price range.

these restaurants tend to be successful because their quality builds loyalty, although it does not transmit down here to people driving a long way to have to go there.

Meaning a referral for a great itianlian restaurant in general doesn't mean alot because they have only expereinced all itialian food to be okay to good, they don't really know great.

FYI, Italian Jersey boy, great grandparents came over on the boat, started drinking water and wine at dinner at age six, you get the picture.

Note though, Texans are different very different.

[Doom]

Believe me I understand the texan persona, well to a degree

But your right, whether it be texas, or any other state its hard to introduce a foreign matter, when there isnt much interest on the subject

The only thing that I could honestly offer is the authentic NY italian style, and whther or not that would catch anyones eye is beyond me...but Trip since ur from this neck of the woods, you know that its simply one thing that makes everything so much different from all other pizzaria's...nyc water....

I'll be heading down there in the next few weeks and give the whole thing an over look, maybe by setting up in huntsville I can cater to the college atmosphere, and keep a steady flow of buisness by offering late nifght specials and what not...thats how we keep em coming here

and on both of my posts you have replied to, outstnding and well thought advice, I tip my hat toward you

[Kayak Jones]

Lake Conroe area bro. It's between Houston and Huntsville. We got shit for Italian around here. Mexican we got, BBQ we got, fast fat food make you jiggle when you walk we got, real Italian we no got. Really, you could put it right around the corner from my house.

[Shibby]

I will tell you one thing. If you have some items under 5 dollars and stay open after 2am (maybe a reduced menu) you will have some crazy business from the students.

[Bdubb]

I would stay away from Galveston Island, but the Kemah area could be a little better for you. I am in the North West part of Houston and most of the Italian places I know about seem to be from the West South West side Up to the North side of Houston. I don't know of any Italian places that aren't a chain of some sort. I can only think of these: Johnny Corino's, Zio's, Olive Garden, Caraba's, and I'm sure some smaller places off the Westheimer area. They just built a Corino's across from where I live and I went there to get a second job the other day. They are always busy and they are the #1 store for the Corino's chain in the Houston area.

I would think that somewhere around the Woodlands, Sugarland, Kemah, Kingwood, or 249 area would be decent. You would still be close to some opther Italian places, but if you can set yourself apart from that then alls good. I haven't been to Conroe in a while, but I am sure its growing just as the Woodlands area is, however, Hunstville to me comes across as more of a College and Prison town which may limit the prestige of your clients.

You may also want to look into the Austin area. Its a great city and growing very fast, with a lot of young people and some big money.

[Doom]

bump...keep it comin folks, the more info the better

thank you to all that have replied so far