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A beloved pizza chain that served Minnesotans for 50 years abruptly shut its doors and filed for bankruptcy.
Gina Maria's Pizza closed the doors of all four locations to the public back in October, leaving hungry customers with lots of questions.
The pizza business owners had nearly $3 million in debts, with only a mere $64,000 in assets, according to a March 26 bankruptcy filing.
Northern Brands Inc, the parent company, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which will likely result in the business being liquidated rather than restructured.
Liquidation happens when a business closes and sells off its remaining assets, using the money to pay those it owes - creditors first, and owners last.
Restructuring is when a business changes how it operates. This can include cutting costs and reorganizing so it can stay open.
'If they're gone forever, this is sad. My family and I love Gina Maria's. My kids looked forward to when we would drive from Bloomington to the [Eden Prairie] location to get lunch slices,' one user wrote.
'First pizza we ordered when we moved back to Minnesota on the enthusiastic recommendation of our moving company,' another user shared.
'Must have ordered 100 times since 2006. Sorry to see them go. Really good pizza,' they added.
Gina Maria's first opened its doors in 1975 in Minnetonka and eventually grew to serve customers in Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Edina, and Plymouth.
A new chapter begins at the former Eden Prairie location of Gina Maria’s, now home to Pizzas Gina.
Owner Ulises Godinez told Eden Prairie Local News that the restaurant is keeping the legacy alive by using the original recipes from the last pizzeria.
