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Rhode Island
Once called a top 10 pizza restaurant in the US, the last RI Bertucci’s has closed
Bertucci’s third bankruptcy in seven years has claimed the last of the chain’s Rhode Island restaurants.
The Warwick Bertucci’s Kitchen and Bar at 1946 Post Road closed on Thursday, April 25.
“It was a sad day yesterday,” read the Bertucci’s Warwick Instagram post on April 26. “We will miss all our employees & customers. Thank you for your business. We are no longer open in Warwick, RI.”
The Northboro, Massachusetts-based restaurant chain serves brick oven pizza and pasta dishes. It was founded in 1981 in Somerville by Joey Crugnale.
The bankruptcy filing claims $10 million to $50 million in assets and liabilities, according to a story in USAToday. Bertucci’s plans to pivot to fast-casual dining with a new venture called Bertucci’s Pronto, which already has a Tremont Street location in downtown Boston, the story said.
“For Bertucci’s longstanding and loyal patrons, the Bertucci’s you know, and love is here to stay as well, just with a few less locations for now,” the chain said in a statement obtained by Restaurant Business Magazine.
Also closed on April 25 were four restaurants in Massachusetts including Braintree, Mansfield, North Andover, Norwood and Plymouth. The state has 10 remaining open restaurants and there is also one in Glastonbury, Connecticut. A few are open in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
As recently as three years ago, there were 52 restaurants in 10 East Coast states, from New Hampshire to Virginia.
The first time the chain filed for bankruptcy was in 2018 while it was trying to sell itself to an affiliate of a Chicago investment firm. It was eventually bought by Earl’s Enterprise, the parent company of Planet Hollywood. The second time was in 2022, when Bertucci’s cited pandemic losses.
It was back in 1988 when Bertucci’s opened its first Rhode Island restaurant in East Providence. At that time, Boston Magazine declared it the best pizza in Boston for its annual “Best and Worst” list. USA Today named Bertucci’s as one of America’s top 10 pizza restaurants in 1989.
The second Bertucci’s opened in Warwick in 1990.
Then, it seemed everyone was opening brick-oven or other specialty pizzerias. There was plenty of competition for everyone’s pizza dollar. Bertucci’s struggles began.
There were lots of openings and closings, including one in North Attleboro. Rhode Island was down to one Bertucci’s in Warwick.
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island State Police are investigating a crash that happened on I-295 North in Cumberland Tuesday night.
The crash happened in the right lane near Exit 22 just before 9 p.m.
It’s unclear exactly what caused the crash or if anyone was injured.
12 News has reached out to Rhode Island State Police for more information but has not heard back.
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Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
Scandals shake up Capitol Hill ahead of midterm elections
Congressional reporter Zachary Schermele dives into the latest scandals on Capitol Hill and how they’re shaking up politics ahead of midterms.
Rhode Island’s Democrat and Republican primary elections will officially be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9 this year, instead of the usual Tuesday election day.
Lawmakers passed the bill at the urging of state and local officials, who were concerned that an election day falling the day after Labor Day would not give them enough time to set up polls for the arrival of voters.
Gov. Dan McKee signed the bill on April 20, officially moving the primary day for 2026.
Which races will be on the ballot? The Republican and Democrat nominees for a swath of local offices – most notably governor but also lieutenant governor and attorney general.
Why was RI’s primary day moved?
At a hearing on the bill earlier this year, Randy Rossi, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns explained the “significant logistical and financial challenges” municipalities otherwise would have faced having an election the day after Labor Day.
“Beyond cost, municipalities face serious logistical challenges accessing and setting up more than 430 polling locations on a major federal holiday, a process that often requires many hours and access to facilities that are typically closed and unstaffed on Labor Day,” he said.
“Compounding these challenges, many municipalities conduct early voting in city or town halls that must also serve as primary day polling locations,” Rossi noted.
Without changes to current law, he said, “municipalities would be required to conduct early voting and primary day polling simultaneously, often in the same limited space and with the same poll workers, requiring additional staffing and facilities.”
By the time this legislative hearing took place in January, other states facing similar issues, including Massachusetts, had already adjusted their primary dates, “and Rhode Island itself has demonstrated that alternative scheduling can be successful, as occurred during the statewide Wednesday primary in 2018,” Rossi said.
EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WPRI) — If you’re looking to satisfy you’re sweet tooth, look no further than Division Street.
Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its first Rhode Island bakery in East Greenwich earlier this month. The new bakery is situated within East Greenwich Square, which is also home to the Ocean State’s first Crumbl.
The bakery is known for its handcrafted specialty Bundt cakes, as well as smaller “Bundtlets,” and bite-sized “Bundtinis,” that come in a variety of flavors.
“There’s a strong sense of local pride, creativity, and community here that aligns perfectly with our values,” said Jake Williams, who owns the East Greenwich bakery. “We were drawn to the area’s vibrant small business culture and the opportunity to contribute something special.”
Nothing Bundt Cakes is also expected to open another bakery at Chapel View in Cranston later this year.
Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.
Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app.
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