Longtime residents and visitors to Norwood were surprised to see the iron rolldown gate permanently shut at the popular Sal’s Pizzeria on Bainbridge Avenue, when the business quietly closed after more than 40 years in the community.

 

However, Norwood News has learned that the owner of the also popular Nicky’s Coffee Shop located at 3140 Bainbridge Avenue, has taken over the pizzeria site and plans to reopen the pizza shop on Sept. 1.

 

Sal’s closure was first noticed on Monday, July 15, when the rolling gate was down and a notice in Spanish affixed to it informed customers of the drink and ice cream business that had shared a small space inside the restaurant had moved to 1 East Gun Hill Road by Jerome Avenue.

On Tuesday, July 24, Norwood News spoke briefly to Nicky’s co-owner George, who confirmed, “We took it over, yes.” George continued, “Yeah, it’s going to be a pizza shop, the same, a pizza restaurant.” Asked when they planned to open, George replied, “We’ll we’re cleaning up basically. We’re hoping for September 1^st.”

 

Asked if customers could expect the same high-quality standards customers say they get at Nicky’s, George said, “That’s the point. That’s why we’re delaying it. We’ve got to clean it up. Yup, we’re going to do our best there.”

 

We asked George if the other small business which sold drinks and ice cream would return to Bainbridge Avenue once the store reopened, George said, “No, no, they relocated to (East) Gun Hill Road and Jerome.”

One worker from the area said the original owner, Sal, sold the business in 2008. Longtime residents recall that Sal’s Pizzeria first opened on East 206th Street in the mid-1980s, before moving around the corner to its current location at 3167 Bainbridge Avenue.

 

Longtime Norwood resident Chris Perkins had been unaware of Sal’s departure. Nonetheless, he said, “I noticed the change. They put a lot more Spanish food on the menu, which I thought was good, but it kind of lost the pizza shop flavor, but it was a much better menu.”

Asked for his thoughts about Nicky’s taking over Sal’s, Perkins said, “I hope they maintain the quality, even though I really haven’t eaten there much in years.”