Struggling to Survive, NK Pizza Shop Seeks Lifeline

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—The owners of Bravo Wood Fired Pizza in North Kingstown said they might have to shut down without an infusion of capital to keep the business going.

Since opening in November, 2014, the restaurant has been praised by locals for good pizza and a family-friendly atmosphere. But a rough winter last year along with some other unexpected expenses took a big bite out of the owners’ reserves.

Now, the O’Neill family, who have lived in North Kingstown for more than 20 years, said that they are “now at a point that we cannot continue without some additional capital to catch up on bills and launch a real advertising campaign that will put us on a solid footing to become a fixture in the town. ”

With much hesitation, the family has launched a GoFundMe page in an effort to raise $25,000 to save the business.

“We honestly were hesitant to ask the public for help. It is hard to have to admit how difficult things have become. If not for the urging of numerous customers and friends, and the many customers who tell us they really want us to survive because they love our restaurant, we might not have taken this step,” the family said in the GoFundMe post.

The restaurant has impressive Yelp reviews and is widely known for fresh ingredients and a compelling gluten-free menu.

The business began in 2009 out of a mobile wood fired oven that made stops at local farmers markets. But that business is seasonal, and the O’Neills wanted to open a place that let them sell their pizza year round in their hometown.

Since opening their doors in 2014, the family hasn’t taken a paycheck for themselves. They’ve tried free and low-cost methods to get the word out with the belief that the business’ problems revolve around the fact that many people don’t know Bravo Wood Fired Pizza exists and not the quality of the food.

“But in today’s world of constant advertising bombardment, it’s hasn’t been enough to compete for the attention of prospective and established customers,” the family said.

The $25,000 goal, if met, would take care of some short-term cash flow problems and would help them spend a little more on promotion.

“We are now at a point that we cannot continue without some additional capital to catch up on bills and launch a real advertising campaign that will put us on a solid footing to become a fixture in the town,” they said. “We need this capital as soon as possible to begin our new push to build Bravo a strong future with many more happy customers.”

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