This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Pizza City Re-Opens After Fire Damage Repairs

Pearl River Landmark for 35 Years had been closed since July.

On July 8, an early-morning fire forced the closure of Pizza City on Middletown Road. 

This past Friday, the pizzeria was once again open for business and owner Elizabeth Badigian was back doing what she has loved since 1976   

“It was a very traumatic experience," said Badigian, a long-time Pearl River resident. "The reason that I have stayed this long is that my customers have become my friends.  It is not about the work anymore.  Sitting outside for 10 days and waiting to
get back in the store was like my soul was ripped our of my chest.”

Find out what's happening in Pearl Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fortunately for Badigian, the building suffered no structural damage from the fire, the cause of which has not been determined. The firefighters quick response kept it from spreading, but there was extensive water damage. To Badigian, the five weeks that her restaurant was closed seemed like an eternity. 

“I just wanted my store back," Badigian said. "It is so much of my life.  All my customers are so friendly. I really am not even serving them anymore. It is like cooking for them at home. I am a people person and love the interaction on a daily basis. I get to know my customer’s lives and their children’s. I want to thank everybody for caring.

Find out what's happening in Pearl Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I wanted to thank my neighbors, the firemen, the inspectors and everybody involved who helped me to get the store back open as quickly as we did."

She related a story that indicates how strongly she feels about friends she has made over the years. 

“In the five week period that my store was closed, two people with whom I was very close passed away," Badigian said. "One of them was Jeannie Tedesco, who always brought a smile to my face when she walked in, and Tommy Murray, who was a big teddy bear.  The day before he died, he stopped by the store to give me words of encouragement and I loved him for that. When I had found out that they had passed away, as miserable as I was feeling, it put everything into perspective.”

At present there are nine pizzerias in Pearl River. Badigian's secret to longevity?  

“A lot of the time you think that it is only the food that brings people to your restaurant but, if you don’t have a relationship with people, you can easily lose them," Badigian said. "My business is more about relationships."

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.