The Bay Terrace Shopping Center celebrated the opening of its newest business, Rosa Pizza, with a ribbon cutting Tuesday, Nov. 29. This marks the latest location of the family-owned and operated New York City pizza chain.
Originally founded in 1975 in Maspeth, Rosa Pizza has grown and expanded quite a bit over the years. The restaurant had expanded to nine locations across Brooklyn and Queens before the opening of the Bay Terrace location.
Several community members and local leaders gathered to celebrate the opening. Among those in attendance were several representatives from Cord Meyer, a representative for Senator John Liu, Councilwoman Vickie Paladino and Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. Paladino presented Rosa Pizza owner Santo Galbo with a certificate to congratulate him on his restaurant becoming a part of the community.
“[This restaurant] fills a missing piece for the shopping center,” Cord Meyer Vice President Controller Joe Forgione said. “They’re a family company, just like us, that has been around for a long time. They’re going to be an asset for the community.”
According to Forgione, the opening of Rosa Pizza was delayed for several months due to the owners having to wait for permit issues with the city to be resolved. Prior to the permit issues, Rosa Pizza was expected to open around Memorial Day.
“It’s really important to see so many people show up for our opening,” Galbo said. “We want to be a part of the community and I’m happy to see everybody here. It’s a great day. I want people to come in, enjoy the food and have a good time. I know we’ll make a nice fit.”
In celebration of the restaurant opening, several forms of entertainment were provided. This included a live DJ, giveaways and menu samples.
“This shopping center has been here over 60 years and we’ve always grown with the community,” Forgione said. “We have always been more than a shopping center. We’ve been a place where the community can gather, where we can host events and where we can come enjoy some food.”
Rosa’s Pizza replaces Jack’s Pizza in the shopping center. Jack’s Pizza had occupied a spot in Bay Terrace for almost 50 years before closing last January. In addition to taking over the space previously occupied by Jack’s Pizza, Rosa’s Pizza will also occupy the storefront next to it.
