Flying Heart Brewing and Pub is passionate about serving beer and pizza to those of Bossier City, West Monroe and Natchitoches, La. For residents of Natchitoches, Flying Heart has become a place of community where craft beers and New York style pizzas are shared over live music and outdoor games.
With its original location opening in Bossier City in 2014 and its second location opening in West Monroe in 2021, the Natchitoches location at 108 Mill Street has been open since 2022. Flying Heart of Natchitoches had its grand opening on June 25, 2022, and has stayed busy ever since, according to general manager Chris Ferguson.
“We were invited to move in here when Cane River Brewing Company shut down. We moved in here with the hopes of being able to have this location be a part of our growth plan,” Ferguson said. “So, we use this location as a central hub to make all of our staple beers.”
Being the general manager and operating partner of Flying Heart, Ferguson is in charge of anything and everything when it comes to the business of craft beers and serving pizza.
Ferguson said that staffing is the most difficult aspect of his job. “We don’t have grown folks who apply here, almost all we have is college staff. And that’s fine, but you only got them until summer and then they’re gone,” he said.
The absence of career cooks and servers is hard to manage at Flying Heart, according to Ferguson, because you have to keep training quite frequently due to students leaving for the summer. On the bright side, Ferguson said that employee retention at Flying Heart is currently doing well. “I’d say half of our staff has been here for over a year. They kind of act as the core, so that’s great,” he added.
Although working as a team can be difficult at times, the importance of human interaction and connectivity shines through for lead server Sam Flurry, one of the primary trainers for new clientele at Flying Heart.
“My favorite part of working here is probably the interactions I get on a daily basis, whether it be with customers, my workers or my bosses. Lots of regulars know our names, we know their names, and so it’s just fun all around,” Flurry said.
Flying Heart is not only known for its community-driven atmosphere. The diverse menu selections such as craft beer, pizza, wraps, wings and salads add to Flying Heart’s appeal. Among Flying Heart’s most popular menu items are the Pepperoni Pizza and the Meat Jeffro Pizza, Ferguson said.
“Our dough is made with New York City water profile, proofed for three days and hand tossed the old fashioned way,” Ferguson described. Flying Heart rotates monthly pizzas on their menu to prioritize customer excitement and engagement.
Waitress and bartender Shay Church said that having a diverse menu ultimately benefits the business and brings customers in often. “We have our monthly pizzas and it’s always something odd. That’s what a lot of people come in for, especially at the beginning of the month,” Church said.
The Boom Boom Chicken Pizza is the monthly special for April, which is topped with a sweet chili glaze, roasted corn, black beans, red onion, grilled chicken, cheddar-mozzarella, boom boom drizzle, cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds. Alongside the monthly pizza are the Boom Boom Wings, which are tossed in boom boom sauce and garnished with green onions.
Flurry stated that having a diverse menu both helps and hinders success for the business. “People are used to their cheese, pepperoni and Hawaiian, right? They’re standard pizzas, so once you start throwing things like toasted pumpkin seeds on a pizza, people are going to raise an eyebrow. But they hit every single time,” Flurry said.
At Flying Heart, creativity is key, according to Ferguson. Keeping customer retention rates up and prioritizing serving unique food is under constant consideration.
“We do creative things. We’ve made a gumbo pizza. We’ve done a King Cake Stromboli for February. People love it, you know? So we try to do fun things for the customers,” Ferguson said.
Flying Heart also hosts trivia nights and showcases live music. If you have a furry friend and enjoy bringing them with you everywhere you go, Flying Heart is pet friendly for those with an attachment to their pets, making Flying Heart a place truly meant for everyone, where no one is left behind.
For those wanting to try a menu as unique and diverse as Flying Heart’s, consider dropping by with family and friends for a delectable bite. Flying Heart is open Sunday through Wednesday 11:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m and Thursday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Contact Flying Heart via phone at (318) 238-2337.
