The oldest operating pizzeria in the city closes Wednesday after serving Naples for 47 years. Its last seven years have been in a retail center destined for redevelopment.
Mama Mia’s Pizza, Skyline Chili and other small businesses operate in the strip center on the northeast corner of U.S. 41 and Seventh Avenue North in Naples. Last year’s purchase of the corner lot started redevelopment chatter, but specific plans are not available yet.
“So, it is said that all good things must come to an end. As most of you know our building has been sold and will be torn down,” according to a post this month on Mama Mia’s Facebook page. “Our last day of serving pizza will be February 23. We thought it was only fitting to close the same day our dad opened on his 23rd birthday in 1975. We are not sure what the future holds so for now this is not goodbye but see you later. We thank each and every one of you for being a part of the memory.”
The Iantosca family has operated Mama Mia’s in Naples since Feb. 23, 1975. Mama Mia’s relocated in February 2015 after operating for 40 years in Moorings Plaza. The family’s patriarch and matriarch, Erminio and Josephine Iantosca, both passed away in recent years, but their children have continued to run the business.
The original part of the freestanding retail strip was built in 1959. Tenants include Up for Grabs, Patio Outlet, Designers Rug Center, Naples Optical and Tara’s Hair Studio. It formerly was home to Priced Right liquor store, La-Z-Boy and The Golf Guys.
The lot has frontage on U.S. 41 near downtown Naples and across Seventh Avenue North from Lake Park Diner and Dairy Queen Grill & Chill. Perhaps most importantly, it’s adjacent to Bentley and Jaguar Naples dealerships.
In October, TT of Naples Inc. purchased for $8.5 million a 25,635-square-foot retail building on 1.72 acres known as the Trail Shopping Center at 710 9th St. N. Naples from M & T Enterprises Inc. of Crystal Beach, Florida. TT of Naples features the initials of Florida-based Terry Taylor, one of the nation’s largest private owners of auto dealerships. He owns the line of luxury car dealerships to the north of the recently purchased retail center. The row of dealerships along the eastern side of U.S. 41 includes Bentley, Maserati, Jaguar and Land Rover. Bentley moved into the former Porsche dealership after Porsche relocated to Davis Boulevard in 2017.
Jason Reidel, managing partner of Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin of Naples, said the auto dealership does not have a comment on the real estate transaction. Terry Taylor’s Automotive Management Services Inc., based in West Palm Beach, could not be reached for comment regarding the sale or the future of the property.
Gates Rodenfels, owner of the Skyline Chili franchise in Naples and Fort Myers, said he was notified the Naples center was sold but he was not given notification about the future of the center. Rodenfels figures he has about two more years at his Naples location since neighboring Naples Optical recently extended its lease two years in that center.
“Two years gives me plenty of time to find something else,” he said. “If I have to move, I have to move. It is what it is.” Nevertheless, Rodenfels plans to definitely relocate Skyline Chili in Naples. “I will relocate when the time comes,” he said.
Rodenfels’ family has been involved with the local Skyline Chili franchise since 1988 when it was still at Coastland Center mall. Skyline moved in 1994 when its new location was built at 710 Ninth St. N., Naples’ original Winn-Dixie site in the Lake Park neighborhood.
