After a 22-year career in the U.S. Navy, Gray Nelson wasn’t sure what life after service would look like — until a spontaneous dinner with his wife changed everything.
“In 2002, my wife and I were stationed in Florida,” Nelson said. “While on vacation in a nearby town, we went out to dinner and saw a Mellow Mushroom on the corner. We gave it a shot and before we finished the first slice, we knew we needed to open one of these after I left the Navy.”
At the time, retirement was still more than a decade away, but the idea stuck. Nelson began seriously exploring the fast-growing pizza franchise Mellow Mushroom in 2008, comparing it to other concepts before officially joining the brand in 2013. Two years later, his first location opened in Newport News, Virginia.
After opening another location in Williamsburg in 2018, Nelson expanded again in late 2024 by acquiring an existing location in Charlottesville. For Nelson, Mellow Mushroom was the perfect fit for his personal story. His three Virginia locations each connect to a chapter of his life.
“When I was in the Navy, I was stationed on the U.S.S. Enterprise. My first franchise location is in Newport News, where the ship was docked,” Nelson said. “My father attended college in Williamsburg, where my second store is located. And my latest location is next to the University of Virginia, where my wife and I, as well as several members of my family, graduated from college. There is a strong community tie to this area. Everything is full circle.”
Each restaurant offers the signature Mellow Mushroom mix of handcrafted pizza, eclectic design and laid-back energy, but with a local touch that reflects the communities Nelson knows best.
From the start, Nelson says one of the biggest draws of Mellow Mushroom was the people behind it.
“When I met with the franchisor team, they were salt-of-the-earth people,” he said. “They are real. They have worked in the stores. Having that ground-level truth and understanding of what is going on and how franchisees make everything happen was a real benefit.”
Unlike larger, corporate chains, Mellow Mushroom’s size and structure make it approachable for franchisees.
“The corporate team maintains a personal touch and encouraged me to reach out and make connections with the franchisor,” Nelson said. “Over the years, I’ve developed strong business relationships, as well as great friendships. There are advantages to this level of connection.”
When Nelson opened his first location, Mellow Mushroom was virtually unknown in Virginia. He saw that as both a challenge and an opportunity.
There were Mellow Mushrooms in Virginia prior to my store in Newport News - "Because there wasn’t a Mellow Mushroom in the Tidewater area, I wasn’t stepping on another franchisee’s toes when I opened my first location; however, since Mellow Mushroom wasn’t as well-known in the area, it was a bit more challenging.”
At first, awareness spread mostly through transplants — college students and military families who had fallen in love with Mellow Mushroom elsewhere.
”One of the great things about Mellow Mushroom is the concentration of stores around universities. After students graduate, they go out into the world and look for Mellow Mushroom. I’ve heard many guests say, ‘I’m so glad you opened here because I have waited years since graduation to be able to enjoy a local Mellow Mushroom again.’”
That organic word-of-mouth, combined with a loyal fan base, helped Mellow Mushroom take root in Virginia.
“We’ve been very fortunate that the franchisees in Virginia are very strong and the growth has been good,” Nelson said. “We only had a handful up until a few years ago. I bought the oldest one in Virginia.”
Looking ahead, Nelson is already planning his next chapter with Mellow Mushroom. “I am looking to open another location in the next couple of years, whether it is building from the ground up or potentially buying an existing store,” he said.
Today, Nelson splits his time between managing operations, mentoring staff and connecting with guests. Each day looks different, but the heart of the business is always the same. Whether he’s checking in with his managers, reviewing inventory or greeting customers who have been coming in for years, Nelson says the job is about more than pizza.
“We just celebrated 10 years in Newport News,” he said. “We had a big party last Friday! We have three employees who have been with me since that very first day. It makes it really great to go to work every day.”
For more information on franchising with Mellow Mushroom, visit: https://1851franchise.com/mellow-mushroom.
Mellow Mushroom
SPONSORED
Gray Nelson found his true calling and a deep sense of community by becoming a successful Mellow Mushroom franchisee in Virginia, operating three locations connected to his personal history.
After a 22-year career in the U.S. Navy, Gray Nelson wasn’t sure what life after service would look like — until a spontaneous dinner with his wife changed everything.
“In 2002, my wife and I were stationed in Florida,” Nelson said. “While on vacation in a nearby town, we went out to dinner and saw a Mellow Mushroom on the corner. We gave it a shot and before we finished the first slice, we knew we needed to open one of these after I left the Navy.”
At the time, retirement was still more than a decade away, but the idea stuck. Nelson began seriously exploring the fast-growing pizza franchise Mellow Mushroom in 2008, comparing it to other concepts before officially joining the brand in 2013. Two years later, his first location opened in Newport News, Virginia.
After opening another location in Williamsburg in 2018, Nelson expanded again in late 2024 by acquiring an existing location in Charlottesville. For Nelson, Mellow Mushroom was the perfect fit for his personal story. His three Virginia locations each connect to a chapter of his life.
“When I was in the Navy, I was stationed on the U.S.S. Enterprise. My first franchise location is in Newport News, where the ship was docked,” Nelson said. “My father attended college in Williamsburg, where my second store is located. And my latest location is next to the University of Virginia, where my wife and I, as well as several members of my family, graduated from college. There is a strong community tie to this area. Everything is full circle.”
Each restaurant offers the signature Mellow Mushroom mix of handcrafted pizza, eclectic design and laid-back energy, but with a local touch that reflects the communities Nelson knows best.
From the start, Nelson says one of the biggest draws of Mellow Mushroom was the people behind it.
“When I met with the franchisor team, they were salt-of-the-earth people,” he said. “They are real. They have worked in the stores. Having that ground-level truth and understanding of what is going on and how franchisees make everything happen was a real benefit.”
Unlike larger, corporate chains, Mellow Mushroom’s size and structure make it approachable for franchisees.
“The corporate team maintains a personal touch and encouraged me to reach out and make connections with the franchisor,” Nelson said. “Over the years, I’ve developed strong business relationships, as well as great friendships. There are advantages to this level of connection.”
When Nelson opened his first location, Mellow Mushroom was virtually unknown in Virginia. He saw that as both a challenge and an opportunity.
There were Mellow Mushrooms in Virginia prior to my store in Newport News - "Because there wasn’t a Mellow Mushroom in the Tidewater area, I wasn’t stepping on another franchisee’s toes when I opened my first location; however, since Mellow Mushroom wasn’t as well-known in the area, it was a bit more challenging.”
At first, awareness spread mostly through transplants — college students and military families who had fallen in love with Mellow Mushroom elsewhere.
”One of the great things about Mellow Mushroom is the concentration of stores around universities. After students graduate, they go out into the world and look for Mellow Mushroom. I’ve heard many guests say, ‘I’m so glad you opened here because I have waited years since graduation to be able to enjoy a local Mellow Mushroom again.’”
That organic word-of-mouth, combined with a loyal fan base, helped Mellow Mushroom take root in Virginia.
“We’ve been very fortunate that the franchisees in Virginia are very strong and the growth has been good,” Nelson said. “We only had a handful up until a few years ago. I bought the oldest one in Virginia.”
Looking ahead, Nelson is already planning his next chapter with Mellow Mushroom. “I am looking to open another location in the next couple of years, whether it is building from the ground up or potentially buying an existing store,” he said.
Today, Nelson splits his time between managing operations, mentoring staff and connecting with guests. Each day looks different, but the heart of the business is always the same. Whether he’s checking in with his managers, reviewing inventory or greeting customers who have been coming in for years, Nelson says the job is about more than pizza.
“We just celebrated 10 years in Newport News,” he said. “We had a big party last Friday! We have three employees who have been with me since that very first day. It makes it really great to go to work every day.”
For more information on franchising with Mellow Mushroom, visit: https://1851franchise.com/mellow-mushroom.
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