More than 100 people stood in line outside of Maria's Pizza, 5025 W. Forest Home Ave., to get what might be their last pizza – at least for a while.
The popular pizzeria celebrated its 65th anniversary earlier this year, but the current owners are ready to hand over the reins.
"We are closing after today, but hopefully temporarily," says Maria. "We know someone who is very interested in buying the business and keeping it the same," says current co-owner, Maria, a relative of the original owner, Maria Traxel.
Traxel opened the business in 1957 on the corner of 7th Street and Greenfield Avenue. In 1971, Traxel opened a second Maria's Pizza in its current building which eventually became the sole location.
Maria's is famous – locally as well as nationally – for its thin crust, rectangle-cut pizzas, vintage signage, heartwarming decor (red-checkered tablecloths, strands of lights and religious paintings brushed by Traxel), enthusiasm for holiday decorations (including a robotic-voiced, life-sized Santa) and friendly staff, particularly current owner and daughter of Traxel, the-red-dress-and-stilletos-wearing Bonnie Crivello.
Maria's as we know it will be missed by many Milwaukeeans. Stay tuned for more information about this developing story.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
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