A lot’s happened in the last week – of a pizza nature. East Side institution Lisa’s Pizza (2961N. Oakland Ave.) closed down on Jan. 27. Within a few days came the news that new owners had taken over. And in quick turnaround fashion, the new owners say they plan to reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
Dean Rein and Hannah O’Hara say they’re not planning to change anything, at least not for a while.
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“Our older crowd definitely has been coming here for generations, and they are worried, I’m sure, that we’re going to change a lot. We’re trying to not change too much. People like the classic pizza,” says Rein. He and business partner Hannah O’Hara have the original Lisa’s pizza recipes and have been working with former owners Gary and Teresa Bongiorno to learn all the Lisa’s pie-perfecting secrets.
Lisa’s had been on the sales block for months, the owners having announced their plans to retire.
Rein and O’Hara say the hours will stay the same: Tues.-Thurs. 4-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 4-10 p.m.
Takeout, delivery and in-house dining will all be offered. Along with something new: Lisa’s will have online ordering through their Instagram page.
The partners, who both come from manufacturing backgrounds, were originally looking at starting a mobile pizza business – one that serves pies by a boat that moves to various spots on an inland lake. They shelved that idea, at least for the time being, when they heard about Lisa’s.
“We’re just really excited – a little overwhelmed – but excited,” says O’Hara, adding that they didn’t need to hire new staff. “We’re just really fortunate that the staff agreed to stay on.”
