Rozino’s Pizza
Rozino's Pizza was a Madison deep-dish pizza 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].
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[2].
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[3]. 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[4].
Pizza
- Deep-dish slices, sold from the truck as well as the stores[1].
Former Locations
- Below the Church Key, University Avenue (the first store; dates not found).
- 114 N. Fairchild St. (to 2001)[1].
- 515 Junction Rd. (by May 2002[3] to April 28, 2003[1]).
- A 1963 Chevy pizza truck at James Madison and Law parks (from 1987)[1].
See also
Notes
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 (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.
- ↑ 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.
