In a significant move for a beloved North Bay eatery chain, the Mary’s Pizza Shack Corporation has officially filed for bankruptcy as part of its strategy to preserve the brand’s long-standing family legacy. Despite the bankruptcy filing, all 10 Mary’s Pizza Shack locations will remain open, with granddaughters of founder Mary Fazio set to take over the brand, ensuring that the company's 65-year history continues to thrive without losing any additional restaurants, according to a release published by Mary’s Pizza Shack website.
Marking an evolution that began with a restructuring announcement back in fall 2022, the Sonoma-based chain transitioned from a single corporation to a collection of smaller family-owned operations, an endeavor envisioned to elevate the customer experience by combining hands-on leadership from Fazio’s descendants with the efforts of the existing Mary’s Crew Members. This restructuring was finalized in February 2023, but it came on the heels of some location closures across the North Bay due to reduced revenue and increased food and labor costs. These closures occurred in downtown Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Dixon, Napa, and Novato. Despite the financial struggles, a news release by Mary’s Pizza Shack reaffirmed the steadfastness of the brand: "This year, we celebrated 65 years of being in business, and we’re not going anywhere", and highlighted the company's commitment to maintaining its legendary recipes and the value of its gift cards.
With records from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California revealing assets between $100,001 and $500,000 and a creditor list numbering between 1,000 and 5,000, the financial difficulties faced by Mary’s Pizza Shack came to light. However, specific details surrounding the bankruptcy proceedings or comments from the company’s spokesperson or lawyer have not been readily provided, as indicated by the Press Democrat.
The restructuring has bestowed individual ownership of each Mary’s Pizza Shack outlet upon extended family members of Mary Fazio. These family-run entities operate under licensing agreements to protect the core menu, brand identity, and quality benchmarks that have been synonymous with Mary's Pizza Shack since its inception in Boyes Hot Springs in 1959, as per Press Democrat. Despite the company's financial challenges, the Napa location saw a revival by the end of 2023, spearheaded by Fazio's grandson Vince Albano, alongside longtime operator Mayra Martinez-Cornejo.
