Aurelio’s Pizza in Naples and Estero closed suddenly on Aug. 10.
Franchise owner Mark Lichtman said the two Southwest Florida locations “have permanently closed under my ownership.”
“Everything was wonderful and profitable that first year,” he said. “It was terrific. Then last season, season never came.”
Lichtman opened a carryout and delivery-focused Aurelio’s in North Naples in December 2024.
Its debut at 6270 Naples Blvd. (across the street from Costco) came just months after the longtime Coastland Mall shop, where Lichtman was the general manager, closed when its lease wasn’t renewed.
Less than a year later, Lichtman opened his second Southwest Florida location — this one just north of the junction of Corkscrew Road and Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, near Miromar Outlets in Estero. The 19527 Highland Oaks Drive Aurelio’s (which took over Romeo’s Pizza’s old space) was a carbon copy of his Naples shop.
Aurelio’s — originally founded by Joe Aurelio in Homewood, Illinois, in 1959 — is one of the oldest pizza chains in the US (and the first Chicago pizzeria to franchise its concept).
It’s beloved for its thin-crust pizza (always cut in squares). The deep dish, reintroduced in early 2025 for the first time in 66 years, is also popular, as is the stuffed pizza.
The two Southwest Florida Aurelio’s locations were the only two in Florida.
“The first year we opened, everyone who ever knew about Aurelio’s came,” Lichtman said. “Then it changed. Even our most loyal guests started cutting back. We did summer numbers last season.”
Lichtman felt he wouldn’t be able to generate the sales needed to remain open and profitable.
“We get authentic Aurelio’s products from Chicago,” he said. “It gets expensive.”
Despite closing, Lichtman couldn’t say enough about his staff and all they did in a short time.
“We did really well,” he said. “We did a lot of great things with the community. I’m going to miss it. I’m very proud of my entire crew and what they accomplished. I’m very sad to see this go, but I’m still excited for the future of Aurelio’s.”
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Popular Chicago-based pizza chain suddenly closes SW Florida locations
Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
