Lil Ronnie’s, the quick-serve pizzeria from Il Rione owners Brian Moss and Brian Holleran, will close on Monday, October 26. The team developed the slice shop concept specifically for the Tremont space, which was long home to Edison’s Pizza, neighbor to Edison’s Pub for more than 15 years.
Holleran says that they were approaching the end of their three-year lease and decided not to renew.
From the start, Lil Ronnie’s was built to be something other than a satellite operation for Il Rione in Gordon Square. The dough is made on-site. The style of pies is different. And the menu of slices and whole pies bears little resemblance to the bill of fare in Detroit Shoreway. All of which complicated a process that was intended to be streamlined and efficient.
After much reflection, Holleran says that he and partner Moss had a moment of clarity. Il Rione, which turns nine years old in a couple of months, is successful and well regarded. They both enjoy the work, have an incredible team, and control their own destiny. They decided to resist the urge to spoil all that with the lure of expansion.
“I think in this country you’re always meant to expand,” Holleran explains. “We always thought that this is what we’re supposed to do; if you’re successful, you’re supposed to grow and build. We realized that we wanted to run just one place.”
Holleran says that he and Moss will continue to focus their attention on Il Rione.
“And we’re still not as good as we want to be; there is so much room for improvement at Rione,” he adds.
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