Pizza shop to open new store in Bluffton, change island location

Bluffton pizza lovers will be able to “feed their heads” at a Mellow Mushroom this spring. The restaurant, part of an Atlanta-based franchise, will be located behind Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q on U.S. 278, in a building undergoing renovations for a May opening. Also, the Mellow Mushroom in Park Plaza on Hilton Head Island will move this spring when the shopping center’s new Harris Teeter and outbuilding are finished, probably in April, according to Kim Boyce, who owns the restaurants with her husband, John. Mellow Mushroom, a franchise known for its psychedelic theme and pizzas with names such as “Magical Mystery Tour,” has 100 stores in 16 states. Instead of a franchise, corporate likes to refer to the restaurants as “a collection of stores,” Kim Boyce said. Mellow Mushroom president and CEO Richard Brasch said each location has a unique decor to offer different “vibes.” The new Hilton Head Island store will feature “re-purposed” wood and crushed glass for a “green” feel, and the Bluffton location will be “Lowcountry funky,” Boyce said. The Hilton Head Island location offers trivia, karaoke and other events, which will be duplicated at the Bluffton store. Brandon Stewart, general manager of Jim ’N Nick’s, said he had heard rumors of the pizzeria opening behind the restaurant where he works. “There’s plenty of good folks to feed in Bluffton,” Stewart said.