Square Peg Pizzeria opened to the public on Oct. 7, 2023. The pizzeria opened in the space that was once occupied by Geno’s Grille, which vacated the spot in 2020 in the wake of the pandemic. The opening marks the first of many that will occur over the next few months, with Playa Bowls also filling a storefront vacated during the pandemic.
Shannon Cerruto, the Creative Marketing Director for Square Peg Pizzeria and president of Salt Media company, spoke with The Daily Campus about the launch of the restaurant and how it was received by the community. Cerruto said that this weekend’s opening was a soft opening, and that a grand opening is planned for the near future.
“Our opening was very successful! We loved having the UConn Huskies swing by to try our pizza and to enjoy our DJ for late night!” Cerruto said via email. “We are currently in a soft opening phase but in a few weeks, we will have our grand opening with 1,000 pizzas free giveaway!”
When asked how the community has responded thus far to the new restaurant, Cerruto said that there has been positive engagement and feedback so far, with the Storrs community posing some specific advantages and opportunities as opposed to other communities.
“The community’s response has been nothing but fantastic thus far! The students, faculty, and Storrs community have been warm and welcoming to us!” Cerruto said. “The location in Storrs has a very fun, young and energetic atmosphere! We will enjoy watching sports games, having parents, friends and families visit us on campus, and being part of every changing and evolving community!”
When asked about any specific interactions the restaurant has had with the university community, Cerruto reiterated the positive response the restaurant has been getting from UConn students and the general desire for new dining options on campus.
“It’s been amazing! Everyone is eager to have a new restaurant open on campus, people have been extremely excited and open to having us on campus!” Cerruto said.
Square Peg Pizzeria’s Storrs location is the eighth location in Connecticut. Other locations include Glastonbury, Enfield and Vernon. The menu includes a variety of pizza options but also offers salads and sandwiches.
The restaurant chain was founded in 2019 in Glastonbury with a focus on pizza, traditional Italian fare and the added element of coin-operated arcade games. The original location was opened by chef Tyler Anderson, who has opened other restaurants in Connecticut including Millwright’s in Simsbury and Ta-que in West Hartford, according to the Hartford Courant.
