Family pizzeria in Westmount closes after 42 years in business

One of London's oldest pizzerias is shutting its doors for goodafter 42years andthree generations of serving up hot pizza and hospitality.

Muldoon'sPizzalocatedin Westmounton Wonderland Road closed Sunday, sparking an outpouring of public support and nostalgia on social media. An auction to sell off the restaurant'sequipment and furniture went live online Monday.

"It's super overwhelming to read what people are saying. Even from working here, I recognize the names, I know their orders, and I haven't even worked there in three or four years," said Logan DiCicco, whose grandfather John started the business in the city 1981.

"It was four decadesago when it first opened, and the fact that Westmount has grown around us, bringing new customers, and new memories, it's a lot to take in."

DiCicco said the start of the pandemic markedthe beginning of the end, even though the pizzeria stayed open without government assistance for the duration. The closure of their dining room put a damper on business, and delivery was no longer a viable option due to associated costs.

But DiCicco said other factors also made the decision to close the right one for hisfamily.

"It was also really hard to get staff, which prevented the dining room from ever re-opening. Food prices are also through the roof," said DiCicco. "You can only charge so much for a pizza at the end of the day. [My dad] even said he started feeling like he didn't want to rip off the customers because of how pricey it got."

Lifetimes of memories made

In online posts, many Londoners recounted memories of the restaurant. DiCicco credits the love and care his grandfather, and his father Dean put into place.

"They put everything they had into it. My grandfather would even open on Thanksgiving day to make sure people who didn't have anywhere to go had a place to eat," he said.

People interested in takinga physical piece of Muldoon's home can take part in the online auction containing everything from glasses, to pizza pans, to stoves, said DiCicco.

As thefamily looks to the future, including some well-deserved rest, DiCicco says the love and appreciation his family has for the community that supported them for so many years is strong.

"We just want to thank the London community, especially the Westmount community, for the support," he said.

"These are memories that our family is going to have for the rest of our lives. Stories that I'm going to tell my children and they're going to tell their children. It's not something that can easily be replaced."