Rozino’s Pizza

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Rozino's Pizza was a Madison pizza-by-the-slice business from about 1986 to April 28, 2003, best remembered for its store at 114 N. Fairchild St. off State Street and for the old bread truck that sold slices in the downtown parks[1]. Its owners also ran a Rozino's at the House on the Rock near Spring Green for about a decade[2].

History

"For a long time a lot of people figured Rozino's didn't really have a location," Doug Moe wrote when it closed. In 1987 Gene Konitzer, then the director of operations, persuaded the owners to buy a 1963 Chevy bread truck; they painted "Rozino's" on the side and sold "delicious deep-dish pizza slices out of the back" at James Madison and Law parks. There was always a store as well: the first below the Church Key on University Avenue, and the best known at 114 N. Fairchild St., "a great location off State near the Capitol and campus", until the Overture Center's arts district took the block and the building was knocked down in 2001[1]. By 1999 the truck belonged to an employee of Glass Nickel Pizza, who bought his pizza there to resell on Langdon Street late at night[3].

Konitzer, who had earlier run the Bittersweet restaurant on upper State Street, became the owner. In 2002 the city licensed "New York Deli & Pizza Co., Inc. dba Rozino's Pizza" at 515 Junction Rd. on the far west side[4]. The store "never really took off"; high rent and little parking contributed, "though the real culprit is that Junction Road is not Fairchild Street". Monday, April 28, 2003, was the last day, after 17 years[1]. Casa Bianca opened its West Side restaurant in the space that autumn[5].

The Overture years. The Fairchild Street store closed in June 1999 to make room for the Overture Center[6]; Samara Kalk called it "the first casualty of the Overture Project". In October 2001 Konitzer and his partner Russell Bacchi, whose family recipe the pizza was, announced a return in a corner spot of the City Center West project on Junction Road, "a more exciting, upscale version" that would still be "a pizza-by-the-slice program", with sandwiches, soups, pastas and a deli case, counter service and a service bar, and no delivery; Konitzer, who had "worked downtown for 25 years", was lukewarm about ever going back downtown[2]. The city granted the new store a cabaret licence in November 2001[7], and Rozino's Pizza & Cafe opened at 515 Junction Rd. in January 2002 with 14 employees[8]. Chris Martell's review that November found a spartan but pleasant room with booths and a well-stocked bar, "a perfect, inexpensive choice for a family pizza night"; set against the new Rosati's on Mineral Point Road, "I'd go to Rozino's, which has spicier sauce and roasted vegetables on its pies"[9]. It closed on April 28, 2003; the site "didn't have the foot traffic" of Fairchild Street, Konitzer said. "I poured everything I had into that business."[6]

The Fairchild Street store was listed in a 1993 dining guide as "Rozino's New York Style Pizza, 114 N. Fairchild St., 255-6647 — sold by slice or whole pie, Rozino's makes New York-style pizza baked on stone. Thin crust is a specialty"[10]. Reviewing Falbo Bros. that May, Jay Rath ranked the newcomer "second only to Rozino's" for delivered pizza[11].

Pizza

  • The 1995 Yellow Pages ad offered "thin crust or pan style pizza", subs, cheese steaks, soups, salads and beer on tap, with free delivery from 114 N. Fairchild St., open until 2 a.m. Monday to Saturday[12].
  • Deep-dish slices, sold from the truck as well as the stores[1]; Konitzer called the recipe "Old World"[2].
  • At Junction Road in 2002: New York-style thin-crust slices, the Mediterranean (tangy red sauce, roasted red and green peppers, tomato, onion, black olives, mozzarella and feta) and the Margherita (bechamel, tomato, onion, garlic, basil, asiago, romano and mozzarella) at $3.25, cheese at $2.80, and deep-dish pies such as the rustica roasted tomato at $3.50 a slice[9].

Former Locations

  • Below the Church Key, University Avenue (the first store; dates not found).
  • 114 N. Fairchild St. (to June 1999[6]; the building came down in 2001[1]).
  • 515 Junction Rd., Suite F, City Center West (January 2002[8] to April 28, 2003[1]).
  • The House on the Rock, near Spring Green (from about 1990)[2].
  • A 1963 Chevy pizza truck at James Madison and Law parks (from 1987)[1].

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Moe, D. (2003, April 29). "Rozino's was a slice of city life." The Capital Times. p. 2. Newspapers.com image 523384490.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Kalk, S. (2001, October 18). "Rozino's returns (restaurant news)." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 73. Newspapers.com image 406672082.
  3. ↑ Kalk, S. (1999, August 26). Sal's listed for sale; Glass Nickel expands to west side. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 61. Newspapers.com images 402056959, 522664495.
  4. ↑ (2002, May 21). City of Madison licence renewal applications, 2002–03 (pages 4–5). The Capital Times. p. 4. Newspapers.com images 526007657, 526007657, 526007659.
  5. ↑ Martell, C. (2003, December 21). "Restaurant review: Casa Bianca — West Side incarnation does best at pizza." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 52. Newspapers.com image 407390862.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 (2003, April 30). "West Side pizza restaurant closes." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Newspapers.com image 405977425.
  7. ↑ (2001, December 14). "Common Council proceedings: ALRC report of Nov. 15, 2001." The Capital Times. p. 48. Newspapers.com image 526004090.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 (2002, January 11). "Rozino's returns." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 26. Newspapers.com image 406785296.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Martell, C. (2002, November 25). "Restaurant reviews: Plenty to recommend at Rozino's, Rosati's." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 27. Newspapers.com images 407833458, 407833471.
  10. ↑ (1993, August 18). "Good dining spots — Pizza." Wisconsin State Journal. p. 93. Newspapers.com image 406358045.
  11. ↑ Rath, J. (1993, May 1). "Falbo Bros. really delivers: Its thick-crust pizza ranks near the top." The Capital Times. p. 38. Newspapers.com image 521422908.
  12. ↑ (1995). Ameritech PagesPlus Yellow Pages, Madison, 1995 edition, 'Pizza' classification, p. 641: display ads — Gumby's Pizza, 2433 University Av. (fast free delivery Sun–Wed 11–2 a.m., Thu–Sat 11–3:30 a.m.; wholewheat crust and e…. Madison telephone directory. p. 641.
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