Firehouse Pizza & Pub closes in downtown Oswego

A downtown Oswego pizza restaurant has closed over the weekend after six years in business, but could open again under the same ownership.

The owners of Firehouse Pizza & Pub announced via Facebook Friday, Sept. 28, that they were closing as of midnight on Sunday, Sept. 30.

"We decided that we need to restructure our business to be able to keep up with all the exciting things happening in downtown Oswego in the upcoming months," the Facebook statement said. "We hope that you understand our decision and continue to support us once that we reopen with our new and improved concept! As this chapter closes another will start and we are excited to see what the future has in store for us."

The Village of Oswego owns the building that houses the restaurant at 65 W. Washington St. (Route 34). The Village Board approved a 10-year lease in September of 2011 that included an option to buy the building, and also approved a $130,000 economic development loan from village funds to be paid off over a 10-year period plus 3 percent annual interest.

Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said he had spoken recently with Firehouse owner Dominick Fecarotta and that Fecarotta plans to "close down for a while and come up with a new concept for the restaurant."

Di Santo said the village is working with Fecarotta on amending the lease to transfer the restaurant's parking area to the future Mexican restaurant site at 63 W. Washington St. for additional outdoor seating.

"I know that Dominick does not plan on leaving this lease, he just has different plans," Di Santo said.

Fecarotta, who moved with his family to Florida several months ago, said he is "restructuring" the business and plans on buying the building from the village.

Fecarotta said he left the restaurant in the hands with a general manager and that the restaurant's quality declined over the past several months.

"I was the head chef in my restaurant.... and the quality wasn't the expectations that I had, and we had some negative responses," he said.

Fecarotta also owns Florida-based Syndicated Development + Construction, and is currently overseeing the construction of a hotel in downtown St. Petersburg, he said.

Fecarotta said it's "very, very difficult" to find a pizza chef specializing in New York-style pizza.

"We may reopen as Firehouse Pizza," he said. "It's all gonna depend... I'm trying to bring someone in... that we can move to that area and be the head chef/cook that can deliver that pizza recipe that we had a great reputation for."

Fecarotta said 2017 was the restaurant's "best year, sales-wise, since we opened."

Fecarotta said he was thankful to the Oswego community for its support and even grateful to the restaurant's critics.

"We're grateful for everybody we've met and all the customers that supported us, and we're grateful for the customers that gave us feedback that made us better through the years," he said.