Help Save Oblio’s

Hi. My name is Morgan McKay and I own Oblio’s Pizzeria with my mom, Dawn McKay.

After many tears shed and much distress, I am humbly asking for help to save my dream.

In 1996 my parents opened Oblios Pizzeria when I was 10 years old.  They built everything themselves and it took them 3 years to open it. At the time they were the only pizzeria and restaurant in the neighborhood. I grew up washing dishes and making salads and eventually learned to cook and wait tables. When I was 18 they got divorced and sadly had to sell Oblios which broke my heart. They sold it to a dear friend and Park Hill resident, Tommy Gilhooly.

Fast forward many years and Tommy decided to sell Oblios due to his own life circumstances and approached me and my mother about buying back the restaurant. It cost a lot and we made payments and my mother took out a second mortgage on her house but we bought back our dream.

In August 2016 we bought back the restaurant and worked tirelessly to improve the food and provide entertainment to families and children.

Then covid hit. Since opening our doors for dine in this last summer, our dine in business has sadly disappeared. There are probably many reasons why. Covid. Kids not being vaccinated. The list goes on. Then, our dear 25 year old restaurant started seeing things break. After keeping our awnings up all last year since dine in was closed, they got water and sun damage and are permanently destroyed. Our draft beer cooler went down and has to be replaced. Our heaters and furnaces don’t work well and need to be replaced. We need more bar stools. We need a new walkin. The list truly goes on and on. When you are a 25 year old restaurant things start breaking. And with our sales being down over $200k from previous years and food costs and labor costs sky rocketing, sadly things have taken a turn for the worst. We are on the brink of closure and out of a last ditch effort to help bring in money to get us through the slow winter months, to help fix the broken things and launch new endeavours to Save Oblios, we need your help.

Oblios has been here 25 years. Many of you have had your kids birthdays here or come to an event. You have had your first date here. It is a beloved neighborhood institution. And I believe with all of my heart it is worth saving. I wrote my college essay on Oblio’s and it said, “Oblio’s Pizzeria - my home, my school, my work, my life, me.”

From the bottom of my heart, with tears running down my cheeks, I beg of you to help me save my dream. I am a single mom who works her ass off, 7 nights a week, and I cannot do this alone. I am a strong and proud woman, but it takes immense inner strength to admit defeat and ask the community that I hold so dear, to help me, and my family, and my beloved Oblio’s. Please, please help us.

Thank you,

Morgan McKay, and Dawn McKay, my mom.

All the staff at Oblios who love their jobs and don’t want to lose them.

My two sweet angels who have been so supportive and understanding, Lennon and Skye.