Wallflour Sourdough Pizza, a sourdough pizza shop, opened their first brick-and-mortar location on Colorado Boulevard April 27. Around six months later, co-owner Carolina Conaway said the team is comfortably settled. According to Conaway, the inception of Wallflour Pizza comes from Quarantine Pizza — a pop-up that began during the pandemic and eventually expanded to catered events around the Los Angeles area.
“[Quarantine Pizza] did a couple of music festivals and special events,” Conaway said. “Last year, we found this space here on Colorado [Boulevard]. We knew we had to rebrand, so we rebranded to Wallflour, spelled like a bag of flour. We really like puns, so I think it just fits our vibe.”
While serving up sourdough pizzas and seasonal sides, including zucchini fries and arugula salads, Conaway said it is essential that everyone on the team knows where the products come from.
“We try to be transparent with the produce and products that we use,” Conaway said. “So if you’re curious about what kind of pepperoni we use, we’re gonna be up front […] We want the customer to know where their food is coming from, and I think that’s very important and what sets us apart from the other places.”
Customers Cara Brower and Scott Schmidt said they have eaten at Wallflour two and three times respectively.
“I think this pizza place is one of the best ones in Los Angeles,” Brower said. “And one of the best ones I’ve ever had. We have traveled a lot and we love pizza and we try pizza everywhere we go.”
Schmidt said he and Brower ordered their favorite things on the menu: the pepperoni pizza, zucchini fries, and arugula salad. Brower said the food is the main reason why they keep coming back to Wallflour.
“[We come back] because of the food,” Brower said. “We would not come back [if] the pizza was not good, first of all. But second of all, [we come back because of] the environment — it’s really nice.”
According to Schmidt, the space feels very down to earth, lively and friendly. Conaway said she used to work in the film industry as a decorator-buyer, and she curated the interior of Wallflour with her professional experience in mind.
“[Wallflour] was kind of like another set for me, but the difference was it wasn’t for a movie or a commercial where once you’re done filming, you tear it apart and you’re onto the next one,” Conaway said. “People are living here, in a sense of sitting down and I wanted it to feel lived in, I wanted to feel like it’s been here for a while.”
Even though Conaway now has a brick-and-mortar location, she said Wallflour is still deeply connected to the LA pop-up community. One of Conaway’s friends, Henry Camarillo said he currently runs a pop-up coffee shop residency in the Wallflour space.
“[The residency is] amazing,” Camarillo said. “It’s beautiful here and it’s a great opportunity.”
Camarillo said he started his pop-up, No Days Off Coffee, full time three years ago after getting into a motorcycle accident. According to Camarillo, he had previously worked as an EMT for 10 years, where he clocked up to 72 hour shifts. Camarillo’s residency at Wallflour is open weekdays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and weekends 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Now that I’m in Eagle Rock, I have to build my clientele again,” Camarillo said. “I try to get more and more locals. They dig the coffee, so that’s all it takes — time [and] patience.”
Camarillo said he enjoys working in Eagle Rock with Conaway. He said he is adjusting to the neighborhood’s clientele by offering a new menu item: hot chocolate, made specifically for the children who often come with their families.
Reflecting on Wallflour’s April opening, Conaway said the preparation was stressful, but the outcome has made the work worth it.
“Looking back, the day before friends and family, I stayed [at Wallflour] until, like, 4 [a.m.] in the morning,” Conaway said. “Of course, my husband was like, ‘What are you doing?’ […]. And I was just like: ‘I’m still here.’”
Six months later, Conaway can still be found putting the finishing touches on the pizzas, and according to Conaway, Wallflour is still here, and here to stay.
Ultimately, Conaway said, she wants Wallflour to be a space for any occasion — from double dates to birthday parties. Conaway said she hopes Wallflour will become a community staple.
“I hope that this is the space that you guys decide to choose,” Camarillo said. “Everyone is welcome.”
Contact Nora Youngelson at youngelson@oxy.edu
