Tamarack Pizza

From Madison Pizza Wiki

Tamarack II, run by the corporation Tamarack Pizza, Inc., was a restaurant in the Brookwood Shopping Center at 1300 S. Midvale Blvd. "noted for its sandwiches and thin-crust pizza"[1][2]. Bill Noll ran it for nearly ten years, from the autumn of 1980, and closed it in August 1990[3][2].

History

Bill and Karen Noll, of Lodi, opened Tamarack II in the autumn of 1980 as the offspring of their Tamarack Restaurant in Portage. Sunny Schubert of the State Journal reviewed it that November and called its homemade thin-crust pizza "among the best" in Madison; the deluxe was the Tamarack Supreme, and a large pizza cost $5.95 to $7.95[3]. Genie Campbell reviewed it again in April 1984: the menu was limited to hamburgers, sandwiches and "crisp, thin-crusted pizza"[1].

The State Journal's fall dining guide of 1984 described a "Full liquor restaurant with lots of stained glass and comfortable booths" whose specialties were "jumbo fresh ground burgers and homemade delicious pizza (all fresh ingredients). Tamarack II is a favorite among U.W.-Madison and local high school sports fans." It was open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 4 to 11 p.m. on Sunday[4]. The 1986 guide listed "Jumbo pizza, salad bar and Italian dinners"[5]. That year the city licensed Tamarack Pizza, Inc., with Michael R. Ploc as agent, doing business as Tamarack II[6].

Muriel LaRose reviewed it for the Capital Times' "Cheap Eats" in August 1989 ("Good pizza isn't only treat at Tamarack II"). By then it opened at 7 a.m. most days. "Don't pass up a chance at a Tamarack pizza, though," she wrote: a 10-inch sausage and mushroom pie cost about $5 and fed two[7].

The city's license renewals of May 1990 carried "Tamarack Pizza, Inc., agent Mary E. Toulon, dba Tamarack II, 1300 S. Midvale Blvd." among the Class B liquor licensees[8]. On September 1, 1990, the State Journal reported that "a long-running dispute between a West Side city council member and the owner of the Tamarack II restaurant has resulted in the pizzeria's closing." Noll, who also operated a Tamarack restaurant on Highway 51 near Portage, said Ald. Jean Stewart had consistently blocked his efforts to add a full-service bar: lunch-time crowds were popular, but patrons were not allowed to pull their chairs up to the small service bar. Stewart answered that neighbors opposed an expanded bar and that "it didn't seem right to have two bars in the same small shopping center." The Tamarack employed about 22 people. Noll said he was looking for a better Madison location and aimed to reopen "in a new spot within a few months"; a Chinese restaurant, Yen Ching, was to take the space[2]. By May 1991 the address was licensed to John Pal, Inc., doing business as Yen Ching[9].

Tamarack Pizza on Langdon Street

The name came back three years later: the city's license renewals of May 1993 carried "Veloff, Raymond D. & Judith A., dba Tamarack Pizza, 601 Langdon St.", a Class B liquor license at the Langdon and Lake Street corner near the campus[10]. Whether the Veloffs had any connection with Noll, and how long the Langdon Street pizzeria lasted, have not been found.

Pizza

  • Thin-crust pizza, alongside the sandwiches the restaurant was known for[2]; the deluxe was the Tamarack Supreme[3].

Former Locations

  • 1300 S. Midvale Blvd., Brookwood Shopping Center (autumn 1980 to August 1990)[3][2].
  • 601 Langdon St., as Tamarack Pizza (licensed in May 1993[10]; still listed, at 257-9020, in the 1995 Yellow Pages[11]).

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Campbell, G. (1984, April 1). Review of Tamarack II, 1300 S. Midvale Blvd., 'reviewed favorably shortly after it opened, almost four years ago'; owned by Bill and Karen Noll of Lodi; hamburgers, sandwiches and crisp thin-crust pizza; Tamarack Special $3…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 94. Newspapers.com image 402549299.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Riddle, J. (1990, September 1). "Dispute closes pizzeria." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 16. Newspapers.com image 405441029.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Schubert, S. (1980, November 16). Review of Tamarack II, 1300 S. Midvale Blvd., Brookwood Shopping Center, newly opened by Bill and Karen Noll: 'among the best thin-crust pizzas in Madison', homemade dough and sauce, Tamarack Supreme; large pizzas $5.95–$…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 100. Newspapers.com image 405642089.
  4. ↑ (1984, October 7). "Madison Area Dining Guide, Fall 1984." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 268. Newspapers.com image 402306117.
  5. ↑ (1986, October 5). "Madison Area Dining Guide, Fall 1986." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 170. Newspapers.com image 405302906.
  6. ↑ (1986, May 1). "Legal notice: applications for the sale of beer and/or liquor (City of Madison, 1986–87)." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 30. Newspapers.com images 402295753, 402295768.
  7. ↑ LaRose, M. (1989, August 19). "Good pizza isn't only treat at Tamarack II." The Capital Times. p. 8. Newspapers.com image 520015791.
  8. ↑ (1990, May 15). City of Madison 1990–91 Class B liquor license renewals (reprinted May 18 p24 and May 19 p6): Pizza Pit, 78 East Towne Mall (Kerry P. Cook, agent Terry K. Voice); Edwardo's Natural Pizza Restaurant 333 N. Bassett St. (Erl …. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 22. Newspapers.com images 405195087, 405339396, 405340124.
  9. ↑ (1991, May 20). City of Madison 1991–92 Class B liquor license renewals (reprinted May 21 p7 and May 22 p27): Pizza Hut at 3059 E. Washington Ave., 2649 East Springs Dr., 4709 Verona Rd., 7440 Mineral Point Rd. and 662 State St.; Pizzeria …. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 6. Newspapers.com images 404281521, 404281684, 404282071.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 (1993, May 26). City of Madison 1993–94 Class B liquor renewals (reprinted May 27 p45 and May 28 p22): Pizza Hut of East Madison (Roger J. Koehler) 3059 E. Washington Ave.; Pizza Hut of East Towne (Michael W. Peschel) 2649 East Springs Dr.…. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 9. Newspapers.com images 406410283, 406411448, 406411863.
  11. ↑ (1995). Ameritech PagesPlus Yellow Pages, Madison, 1995 edition, 'Pizza' classification, p. 641: display ads — Gumby's Pizza, 2433 University Av. (fast free delivery Sun–Wed 11–2 a.m., Thu–Sat 11–3:30 a.m.; wholewheat crust and e…. Madison telephone directory. p. 641.
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