Bogart's Pizza business closes

The 21-year-old Whangarei pizza business which introduced Whangarei to the concept of licensed pizza dining, becoming one of the city's most popular eateries, has closed its doors.
Bogart's Pizzas, which has operated out the 110-year-old building on the eastern corner of Walton and Cameron Sts since 1996, went out of business a few days ago.
The reality that the business had ended was clear to passers by with all the kitchen equipment spread forlornly over the floor of the restaurant ready for removal. The chattels were removed yesterday by the owner of the business, Simon Smith, and his father Grant. Simon Smith was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Bogarts - cosy, friendly, often crowded and featuring live music, was founded as a takeaway in Kamo in the 1980's. Dean Alldred, then 18, took over the business in 1990 when it had just a couple of tables and developed the restaurant side from there.
Brad McKegg became a partner in 1995 and a year later the pair moved the enlarged business to the CBD.
Simon Smith bought Bogart's in 2007. He was only 25 but still seven years older than Mr Alldred had been when he took over the business.
Mr Smith had started work as a "dishie" (dishwasher) in Bogart's after leaving school and worked his way through the ranks to head chef and then manager, with breaks spent working in Australia and Auckland.
The building is owned by a Whangarei partnership.