COOLBAUGH TOWNSHIP -- A pizza shop in the Poconos will close at the end of the month.
Baby Bruno's Pizzeria in Tobyhanna lost its lease. The place has been a lunch spot for many people in Tobyhanna for the past three years.
Earlier this month, the owners were told their lease would not be renewed, but the pizza shop owners say they won't be gone for long.
Jacqueline Dondey from Tobyhanna is a regular customer at Baby Bruno's on Route 611 in Tobyhanna. She was discouraged by the news that the place will close by the end of the month.
"We liked them because they are a family-owned place and we enjoy their pizza and their cheese steaks."
Owners of Baby Bruno's tell Newswatch 16 the owners of the building, who also own the gas station next door, are not renewing the lease.
"It's like our child pretty much," said Baby Bruno's owner Nadia Barzeva. "We've been here for three years. We got to know everyone. It's sad news. A lot of customers are upset and we are upset, too."
Newswatch 16 reached out to the landlords of the building who say they have their own plans for the place.
Owners tell us they will be closing at the end of the month, but the hope is not for long. They do plan to reopen, in fact, right across the street.
"This is what feeds my family, so we are going to try to rebuild a new building as fast as possible. They are going to bring a ready building so it's just going to be a couple months until we are running again," said Barzeva.
John Ciafrei from Long Pond stops into the pizza shop from time to time. He's happy to hear it won't be closing for good.
"Well, it's cool. Maybe it will be nicer not connected to the gas station," Ciafrei said.
Baby Bruno's in Tobyhanna expects to close by January 28. The owners hope to have the new location up and running by the summer.
As for what will go in the current building, the landlord says a deli is in the works.