Bay View pizzeria Little DeMarinis will close unless it finds new owner

Little DeMarinis, a family-owned pizzeria in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, will close next summer, unless a new owner buys the restaurant. 

Veronica Cieslak opened Little DeMarinis with her husband, Joe, in 2014. The restaurant was the successor to her family's Italian restaurant in the neighborhood, Mama DeMarinis. 

The Cieslaks decided not to renew their lease for the restaurant space at 2860 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The lease on the space ends July 11. Joe Cieslak said if no one buys the business, it will close July 1.  

The restaurant serves pizza and pasta made from the original Mama DeMarinis recipes.

A new owner for Little DeMarinis would get the name and the original recipes, he said. The couple hasn't decided on a dollar figure they would accept for Little DeMarinis.

Veronica Cieslak's grandparents opened the original restaurant, which was open for about 60 years. The restaurant at 2457 S. Wentworth Ave. closed in 2012. 

With other full-time jobs and two daughters (ages 13 and 9), it was time to get out of the pizza business, the couple said. Veronica and Joe have been working full days at real estate and auto body jobs and then spending their nights at the restaurant.

While he said business is doing well, rising rent prices contributed to the decision not to renew the lease. 

Little DeMarinis will wait to see if a new owner comes along. If not, the Cieslaks expect to throw a "thank you and goodbye" party next spring.