College Station gets 2nd pizza shop in as many years

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Last edited 11:02 a.m., April 12, 2018

A New York transplant and his business partner are giving College Station its second pizza shop in less than two years.

New business partners Robert Brough and Kevin McMillan on April 2 opened New York Style Pizzeria at 210 S. Market Ave., Ste. 124, in the corner unit of the downtown development. Calgaro’s Pizzeria left College Station about 18 months into a 10-year lease, when the owners abruptly closed in September 2017.

“It was set up and ready to go as a pizza place,” said Brough, who relocated from New York and joined forces with Springfield resident McMillan. “Not quite a turnkey, but it’s not starting fresh, either.”

Brough and McMillan invested $80,000 acquiring the existing equipment and furnishings in the 3,100-square-foot space leased for five years with options from College Station owner Scott Tillman. The restaurant seats 150.

It’s their first foray into the restaurant business. Brough said there’s little concern occupying the same space where another pizza shop didn’t make it, pointing to owner health issues as the cause of Calgaro’s closing. At the time of the sudden closure, Calgaro’s owners Tony Rank and Allen Brown, who also own Martha’s Vineyard nightclub, did not return Springfield Business Journal’s calls and the landlord declined to comment.

The six-employee New York Style Pizzeria, Brough said, specializes in a five-cheese blend and all pizzas have his homemade sauce with tomatoes imported from Italy. Other ingredients are shipped from the East Coast through Sysco Corp. He said the menu also has chicken wings and hog wings, made from pork ribs, as well as sub sandwiches using bread from Artisan’s Oven on Commercial Street. The owners intend to add beer and wine, as well as more menu options.

“Those are the goals,” Brough said, noting New York Style Pizzeria currently does not have its liquor license.
 
In New York, Brough worked as a leather tailor. He said family members have owned and operated eateries for years.