In 1959, with just $600 of personal savings, Mary Fazio launched Mary’s Pizza Shack in Sonoma County, California. Over the ensuing years, the beloved company grew to as many as 20 locations—a high point reached in 2014—across Northern California. As of 2024, Mary’s Pizza Shack had dwindled to 10 locations. 

This week, the company announced it is filing for bankruptcy. Fear not, though, the brand said in a Facebook post: This was a procedural move to preserve ownership within the Fazio family. The Facebook post went on to reassure customers that all 10 current locations will remain open and that the filing is “the final step of a larger process” aimed at preserving the brand. 

The decision follows a restructuring that began in the fall of 2022, during which Mary’s Pizza Shack transitioned from a single corporate entity to smaller, family-owned units. The restructuring, completed in February 2023, was designed to improve guest experience by having third- and fourth-generation family members work alongside the next generation of Mary’s crew members.

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“We are not closing any locations,” the company confirmed in its social media post, emphasizing that the bankruptcy is a strategic move to ensure the brand’s longevity. As part of this process, Mary Fazio’s granddaughters will officially acquire the business, which is a member of PMQ’s Pizza Hall of Fame.

While the company has faced significant challenges in recent years—including the closure of multiple restaurants in 2022 and early 2023 due to rising food and labor costs—the remaining locations aspire to continue operations without disruption. Mary’s Pizza Shack’s Facebook post also assured customers that its “legendary recipes” will remain unchanged, and gift cards will continue to be honored and sold.

The family celebrated 65 years of business in 2023, a year that marked more than six decades of serving areas of the Northern California community with homemade pizzas, pastas and the cherished family recipes created by Mary Fazio. In the face of inflation and financial hardship, the company has worked to adapt, moving forward with what it describes as “the best route to preserve Mary’s legacy.”

The news comes during the same week the parent company of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza and Wings, BurgerFi, announced it is filing for bankruptcy. Other restaurant chains both within and outside of the pizza segment have been battling financial hardships this year, signaling fears industry-wide of a toughening economic climate. 

With estimated assets between $100,001 and $500,000, Mary’s Pizza Shack has filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, the Press Democrat reported. Despite the financial pressures, the Fazio family reiterated their commitment to their customers, stating, “We’re not going anywhere!”