Owner Jeremy Loukinas said plans changed in a video on a Steel City Facebook post, and now it’s a relocation.
“Our original plan was to expand into Hamilton and keep the Middletown location open,” he said. “Due to some recent events, it’s clear that now is the right time to make the move to Hamilton instead of an expansion and to have faith in what we’re doing and to step out on our own, in a building that we own and a business that we fully control, shape and guide.”
Nicole Condrey, a co-owner, declined to expand on comments she and Loukinas included in the video.
Steel City Pizza will open from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 26, but will have a soft opening, slowly unveiling menu options, from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 24 and Sept. 25.
The restaurant had teased its pizza over the past few months with the occasional pop-up event at Hamilton location as they rehabilitated the building. Condrey said the Hamilton location “isn’t perfect yet.”
“There’s still work to do, but here’s what we do know: we can cook,” she said. “We’re confident the space will rise to equal level of our cooking in time.”
Steel City Pizza was founded nearly three years ago and is known for its wood-fired pizzas and commitment to historic revitalization. The pizzeria’s name is a nod to Middletown’s steel-making roots. The northeast Butler County city is home to steelmaker Cleveland Cliffs, and its predecessors, AK Steel and Armco.
Though they’re leaving Middletown, Condrey said, “Middletown will always proudly be the root of Steel City Pizza’s story, and may still be part of its future.”
Steel City Pizza has operated out of 1330 Manchester Ave. with N.E.W. Ales.
Loukinas said Middletown is a community he and Condrey, a former mayor of the city, “both have tried to improve through different means.”
“When we opened, we hoped we were going to be part of a larger movement in revitalizing downtown Middletown,” he said. “It takes leadership and shared commitment to historic preservation and proven sound strategic decision-making at the community level. While we remain hopeful for Middletown’s future, the opportunity to grow is right now is in Hamilton.”
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