Abrupt Papa Gino's Closings Leave Connecticut With 1 Remaining

MANSFIELD, CT — A rash of abrupt Papa Ginos closings over the weekend left Connecticut with just one remaining outlet in the regional pizza restaurant chain — in Mansfield near the Willimantic line.

The location at 95 Storrs Road at the East Brook Mall is popular with students from the University of Connecticut and Eastern Connecticut State University anyway, but on Monday, the phone calls were even more constant, mostly from people dealing with the shock and confusion of losing a popular place to eat with0ut warning.

Papa Gino's calls it the "Willimantic" location.

"We're the only onle one left in the state," said an employeee who answered the phone in Mansfield. "The phone hasn't stopped ringing."

About 20 minutes away, a sign that was posted on the door of the Vernon Papa Gino's Sunday afternoon offered no real explanation, but the tone — and the fact that the sign was professionally designed — pointed toward a coporate decision.

"This location is now closed. Thank you for your patronage," it said, while offering a 30 percent coupon for online orders at the chain's "open locations."

The sign offered no number to call for further explanation. The Vernon store was no longer listed on the Papa Gino's website.

Calls to the Papa Gino's location in Waterford and Windsor Locks were met with messages indicating the locations were "now permanently closed."

Callers were directed to the website but, like the signage, no explanation was given.

Papa Gino's was known for working with organizations and schools on fundraisers and hosting team sports postseason parties.

Shelby Jones, a youth socceer coach in Vernon, had a team dinner scheduled for Friday.

"Now, we have to find another place quickly," he said.

At noon time on Monday, the last post on Twitter by Papa Gino's was from a day earlier and involved a New England Patriots promotion.

Folks on Facebook did not seem pleased and hammered the Papa Gino's page in the comments, many claiming emplolyees had no notice.

One post read, "I cannot recommend a company that does not notify its employees, in advance, that it is closing stores and laying off people. Shame on Papa Gino’s for being cowards and not notifying staff, before they showed up for work, that they no longer have jobs. Poor management and crap product."

Another read, "Pizza was great, slamming the door in employees' and customers' faces and closing abruptly ... very poor policy."

The main photo on Facebook featured the same Patriots promotion highlighted on Twitter.

The chain originated as Piece O' Pizza in 1961 in East Boston. It changed over to Papa Gino's in 1968 and gradually expanded to more than 150 restaurants throughout New England.

Other locations reportedly closed over the weekend as well, as many as 50 in New England. Other states feeling the pain were New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel

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