Tomaso’s Pizza relocates to larger Cedar Rapids location

Tomaso’s Pizza is getting a new Cedar Rapids location after nearly 30 years of business.  The restaurant is moving less than two miles southeast in mid-March, from 3234 Center Point Road NE to 2706 First Ave SE.  Co-owner Nick Carfrae and his wife, Holly Carfrae, knew the business would have to move when they purchased […]

Tomaso’s Pizza is getting a new Cedar Rapids location after nearly 30 years of business.  The restaurant is moving less than two miles southeast in mid-March, from 3234 Center Point Road NE to 2706 First Ave SE.  Co-owner Nick Carfrae and his wife, Holly Carfrae, knew the business would have to move when they purchased the pizzeria from his father five years ago. The Center Point Road location opened in 1996 was the first brick and mortar location for Tomaso’s Pizza. Before that, Mr. Carfrae said his father ran the business out of local bars.

“I started working there in 1996 and it’s been the location that was our home since then, so this is kind of a big change for us,” he said.  Ms. Carfrae said she is ready for the challenge to create a new physical environment for the business without losing the Tomaso’s feeling customers are accustomed to. “We take pride in our pizza, with quality ingredients and making the best possible pizza for customers and I think the environment we were pushed into creating is going to reflect the product they’re buying,” she said. “We’re excited about that part of it.” Tomaso’s Pizza announced the Center Point Road location closed on March 12 via Instagram. The new location plans to open about a week later if the City of Cedar Rapids signs off on the renovated building. Mr. Carfrae is excited for the new location after nearly 11 months of renovations. “We’ve had help from contractors, but the fact of the matter is that our goal for the building exceeded the financial rope so we knew a lot of the project was going to come out of our labor to make our dream come true,” he said. “It’s been a labor of love.”

Expanding the pizza business

While the product will remain the same after the move, customers will notice a few changes with the new location. The First Avenue space offers more seating and parking, Mr. Carfrae said. Ms. Carfrae said the space nearly doubled, moving from 1,400 square feet to 2,800. It also is brighter, with more windows than the previous location. The co-owners hope to welcome larger parties in the new space while maintaining their seven-day-a-week schedule. “The space is going to be more conducive to families over the number of four,” he said. “Currently, our booths only seat four. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen larger families and have a difficult time dining in. So, we’re catering to them. We’ve got a larger table that can hold 14 people or more and we have more seating overall.” Customers will see plenty of friendly faces at the new restaurant. Ms. Carfrae said everyone employed at the old location is moving with the business five minutes south. She is unsure if the business will expand its staff with the additional square footage from the new location. Mr. Carfrae said he has received both happy and unhappy customers when it comes to the move. He said some people are excited for the business to move closer to them, while others are not excited about the additional drive time to get to the busy corner of First Avenue and 27th Street NE.  “It’s a bit 50/50 scenario with customers and the move,” he said. “And what I have tried to drive home about us moving is that I’ve driven this drive a lot and it’s five minutes away. That extra 10 minute round trip is going to be worth it in experience.”  Cedar Rapids residents may not see a difference in the plants and greenery around the business, but Tomaso’s will have outdoor seating for the first time. Tables will be open in the warmer months, with string lighting for evening dining.  When the couple purchased the business, Ms. Carfrae said their vision was always to expand. The goal was to better serve the Cedar Rapids community from the beginning. As they prepare to open the new space, she said they are excited to see what the future holds. “Sometimes you are pushed to do uncomfortable things and that’s where we’re at and we’re excited about it,” she said. “It’s good to be uncomfortable sometimes and this is one of those times.”