The Kettering LaRosa’s, which has been open since 2007, will close its doors for good after the close of business on Sunday, Feb. 16, LaRosa’s officials said in a release. That will leave two Dayton-area LaRosa’s remaining, in the Cross Pointe Centre in Centerville and at 7712 Hoke Road in Englewood.
LaRosa’s shut down a Huber Heights location in 2016 and a Beavercreek location in 2018.
LaRosa’s officials said lower-than-expected sales led to the decision to close the Kettering restaurant.
>> PHOTOS: Century Bar reopens with same character and spirit but added elbow room
All 25 hourly team members from LaRosa’s Kettering have been offered employment at the Centerville and Englewood LaRosa’s locations, and the Kettering store’s three managers have been offered positions at Cincinnati-area LaRosa’s pizzerias, according to the pizza chain’s release.
>> LaRosa’s Pizzeria closes in Beavercreek due to ‘consistently low sales,' leaving 3 left (March 2018)
“We truly appreciate all of our current and past Kettering team members and can’t thank them enough for their dedication and support in serving the neighborhood for more than a decade,” Michael LaRosa, CEO of LaRosa’s, said in the release. “From the time that we opened Kettering, we were committed to making it a success. However, despite our best efforts, the Kettering pizzeria didn’t perform as well as we’d hoped. We’d like to thank our guests who supported us and hope they will visit us at Centerville and Englewood.”
>> OSCAR GOLD! Excerpts from Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar's acceptance speech
The two remaining LaRosa’s in the Dayton area’s are its longest-established. LaRosa’s entered the Dayton market in 2002 with the opening of its Centerville pizzeria. That was followed by LaRosa’s Englewood 2006.
LaRosa’s Gift Cards or Buddy Cards can be redeemed at any LaRosa’s pizzeria, including Englewood and Centerville.
>> RELATED: Local pizza shop shuts down abruptly, lashes out at ‘corporate’ (December 2017)
The Dayton region’s pizza market has long been dominated by venerable hometown chains such as Cassano’s Pizza King and Marion’s Piazza; by national chains such as Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Little Caesar’s and Papa John’s; and by the dozens of smaller chains and single-store independents that call the Miami Valley home.
>> RELATED: LaRosa’s in Huber Heights shuts its doors (November 2016)
In recent years, however, other smaller, mostly regional chains have invaded those established market players’ turf. LaRosa’s — which operates 66 pizzerias in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana — was one of those regional chains, along with Godfather’s, Dewey’s and Jet’s, among others.
More recently, “fast-casual” pizza chains that focus on customized orders that are cooked in three minutes have added a new layer of competition. Kettering-based Rapid Fired Pizza has led that surge locally.
LaRosa’s was founded in 1954 on Cincinnati’s West Side by Buddy LaRosa.
About the Author
