The Philly Pretzel Factory at 859 Clifton Ave. reopened its doors Tuesday after sitting closed since June, bringing back a neighborhood pretzel shop that had been dark for months. The storefront underwent cosmetic updates before welcoming customers back this week, according to a company spokesperson.
According to News12 New Jersey, the Clifton shop is operated by the same owners behind a Philly Pretzel Factory location in Allendale. That Allendale operation is tied to Tony and Lindsay Romano, whose business site describes a shared passion for hospitality driving the venture.
The Clifton shop is part of a chain that began in Philadelphia’s Mayfair neighborhood: the company traces its first storefront to founder Dan DiZio and college friend Len Lehman, and says it has grown to more than 145 stores. The brand’s history ties its retail-store approach to the city’s earlier pretzel bakeries, bringing the Philadelphia-style snack into neighborhood storefronts beyond its home city. The company’s history
Per the same News12 report, Tony and Lindsay said they were excited to welcome back the Clifton community and begin a new chapter for the location. The company also said customers would receive free soft pretzels throughout the reopening week, a sweetener for longtime regulars who've been without their Clifton Ave. fix since early summer.
What's Planned for Clifton This Week
A re-grand-opening celebration is planned for Thursday, Nov. 12, running from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., the outlet reports. The event marks the formal relaunch of the Clifton storefront following its monthslong closure, though the article notes the exact circumstances behind that closure were not detailed.
The Allendale location, which the Romanos also run, says on its own site that it launched in 2024 and has positioned itself as a local favorite in that town. The Clifton shop's own Facebook page describes itself as the home of the real soft pretzel, noting that pretzels at the factory are mixed and hand-twisted fresh daily.
The company’s franchise program helps explain how the same brand can be run by local operators such as the Romanos: it offers franchisees support with site selection, lease negotiations and store build-out, along with training and opening-day assistance. Its program lists traditional full-production shops as well as smaller oven-ready formats, including store-in-store locations, giving operators several ways to bring the chain into different settings. The franchise program’s support and store formats
For now, Clifton residents have their neighborhood pretzel shop back, with the free pretzel giveaway and Thursday's celebration following the shop's Tuesday, Nov. 10, reopening and offering another chance for the community to return to 859 Clifton Ave. in person.
