After closing down for several weeks last March due to problems with New Jersey’s tax authorities, DeLorenzo’s Pizza reopened the following month in Hamilton Township—and now it’s closing again. But this time it’s for a behind-the-scenes reboot that will make the 87-year-old pizzeria unique.
When owner Rick DeLorenzo fires up the oven again, his customers will be in for a bonus treat: legal marijuana for sale on the premises.
DeLorenzo made the announcement on Facebook last week, stating that his pizzeria “is temporarily closed while renovations are underway to convert our building into a combination pizzeria-dispensary.” A cannabis dispensary, that is.
The post prompted one Facebook wag to comment that the revamped building will bring “new meaning” to the term “pizza joint.” However, it’s likely that DeLorenzo’s Pizzeria and Vision Cannabis will operate as two separate businesses in the same building.
In other words…giggle grass sold separately. No zombie zaza with your ‘za.
As PMQ has previously reported, New Jersey’s Division of Taxation seized the “joint” on March 11 for “failure to comply with New Jersey tax laws.” At that time, NJ.com reported that the lease on the DeLorenzo’s Pizza building was set to expire in July and that the building would be taken over by Vision Cannabis.
The story continued to develop as DeLorenzo started a crowdfunding campaign to raise the money for his unpaid taxes. The GoFundMe page raised a little over $14,000 toward a goal of $20,000. DeLorenzo reportedly borrowed money from some friends to cover the difference, and DeLorenzo’s Pizza reopened on April 1.
“I have customers that have moved all over the country, and when they saw I was in trouble, they helped out,” DeLorenzo told NJ.com. “I really appreciate all the help I got.”
At that time, however, the restaurant’s ultimate fate remained undecided; the Hamilton Township Planning Board had already approved Vision Cannabis’ plan to open in the DeLorenzo’s Pizzeria space. DeLorenzo had said at the time that he couldn’t afford to continue operating in the building alone, noting, “The overhead is too much.” But he was holding out hope that he could share the space with Cannabis Dispensary.
Apparently the dispensary’s owners saw some advantages in that arrangement—who wouldn’t?
DeLorenzo’s Pizza is reportedly expected to reopen in late September or early October.
