Pizza Studio, 6969 N. Port Washington Rd. in Glendale, has officially closed its doors.
The fast casual spot, which opened in 2018, offered premium fully customizeable pies with options for plant-based, vegetarian, gluten-free and low-carb diners.
Owner Aaron Hurvitz shared the news today on Facebook, with a message that's both candid and bittersweet. Sadly, it expresses thoughts that I'm certain have crossed the minds of many small business owners throughout the pandemic.
"Covid-19 has upended so many lives across the world. I have been lucky not to catch the virus and become ill, despite knowing several people who have. But, I have been unlucky in starting a pizza franchise not long before the pandemic decimated the hospitality sector.
Restaurants are tough to operate without a pandemic, but the pandemic has made, in my case, operating an impossible Sisyphean endeavor for too long.
It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve customers, especially the regulars, work with wonderful employees, and meet other business owners and community members. For some time, Pizza Studio has appeared first on Google when searching for the best pizza here in Glendale. Nonetheless, the costs of remaining open have been too high for too long, far above the revenue Pizza Studio generates.
I have had conversations with some customers about my challenges in operating Pizza Studio. A few conversations stand out. One who said, 'Most people don’t remember excellent pizzas. They remember truly awful pizzas. People are happy with an average pizza, just unhappy with truly awful pizzas.' Another customer said, 'Just because a decision seems bad when circumstances change doesn’t mean it was a bad decision when you first made the decision.' So, this is how I will try to process closing down. Opening Pizza Studio was a good decision initially, but having excellent pizzas to serve was not enough to succeed. If the pandemic never came and my establishment had solid ground to develop, the story could have been different.
I tried,
Aaron H.
Owner/Operator/Manager/"
Hurvitz is accepting inquiries regarding the purchase of restaurant equipment or interest in the Pizza Studio space for another concept. Interested parties can email him at aaron@pizzastudiowi.com Serious inquiries only, please.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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