After a 12-year run, Pizza Brain in Fishtown is closing its doors and seeking a new home

After a 12-year run, Fishtown’s Pizza Brain plans to close its doors by Sunday, June 9. The owners are ready to find a new location to expand their beloved pie concept.

Several factors contributed to the decision, but chef and co-owner Joe Hunter highlighted two major reasons: reduced foot traffic over the past few years and what the owners claim to be a landlord dispute in their announcement newsletter.

“The perception of Pizza Brain is that we are just doing great, but the reality is we’ve never been slower — it’s been like this for a little bit,” Hunter said. “We need to move forward and change with the times, and that means a new location.”

In a newsletter to their customers, owners allege water damage to the building has impacted day-to-day operations, which accelerated the search for another location, Hunter said. The main concern for the pizzeria owners was securing a bigger place to expand their pie concept and showcase all their pizza memorabilia.

Pizza Brain, which opened in 2012, is owned by Hunter, Michael Carter, Brian Dwyer, and Ryan Anderson. The pizzeria is known for serving thin-crust East Coast pies in one of the world’s largest “pizza museums” — the shop is decorated with an extensive collection of antiques and collectibles on pizza culture.

Despite adding vegan, gluten-friendly, and other pie options to the menu, Hunter said the shop struggled with diner spending habits changing pre- and post-pandemic and decreased foot traffic as new businesses opened in the neighborhood.

“Philly loves the new thing that opens [in the neighborhood] — people come in droves to come check it out,” he said. “And as an older institution, we needed to change. But we were feeling very limited with what we could offer and didn’t really feel like we could change much in this space.”

The pizzeria owners are in talks with investors to open a new location and are considering South Street, Old City, the Italian Market, and even the Shore.

Hunter said the goal is to open a larger location “to get back on the culinary edge” and expand their menu with more options, such as more vegan and gluten-free pizzas, collaborations with local restaurants, frozen pies, and bottling their pepper flakes and sauces for distribution.

“That’s our goal and that’s the main reason why we’re moving so we can adjust and pivot to what the market’s demanding,” he said. “We’re definitely sad to leave, but we’re excited for what we can do in a bigger place.”