After four decades in business, Rob’s Pizza in Murrysville will be closing its doors this fall. Owner Rob Peterson, who has managed the shop solo since the onset of the pandemic, has decided not to renew his lease, which ends on October 1.
Peterson, 67, cited rising rent costs and the five-year lease minimum as key reasons for his decision. “I just can’t do it,” Peterson said. “The past few years have been tough enough as it is.”
Since its inception, Rob’s Pizza has been a fixture in the Village of Murrysville plaza, a location Peterson has held onto since he graduated from Franklin Regional High School in 1974. Reflecting on the shop’s history, Peterson acknowledged the good times throughout the years.
While he hasn’t pinpointed the exact closing date, Peterson expects it will be sometime between mid-September and October 1.
Rob’s Pizza managed to stay open and even saw a surge in business during the pandemic. However, as the community reopened, business slowed down. “Especially in Murrysville, there are a lot of places to eat,” Peterson noted.
He also mentioned that other small businesses in the area are facing similar challenges. “Five years is a long time to be tied in, and not knowing what the economic future’s going to be — who knows?” he said. “I’d rather not be tied down to anything like that.”
Peterson expressed hope that other independent pizza shops will be able to survive in the coming years. He reminisced about his early days working at the former Cosmo’s Pizza in Murrysville, a precursor to Rob’s Pizza, and observed that independent shops have become increasingly rare due to high operating costs.
Currently, Peterson is focused on selling his equipment and taking down the memorabilia that has adorned the shop’s walls for years. “It’s been a little stressful,” he admitted, noting that the end of the lease came sooner than expected.
As for his future plans, Peterson is considering finding a new job, ideally one with fewer hours. “My customers have been awesome — they really have,” he said, expressing gratitude for the community’s support over the years.