College Pizza heads to Strikes

For college students, beer, pizza and bowling are a winning combination.

At least that's what College Pizza owner George Ballouz is banking on.

The pizzeria will move from its current location - which it was forced to leave due to a planned construction project on the 3900 block of Walnut Street - into the mezzanine of Strikes Bowling Lounge over winter break.

Additionally, it will follow its original plan for a location at 42nd and Chestnut streets, which will now serve as a secondary store, Ballouz said.

He said he wanted to stay closer to campus, and, because there was no other available space, he approached Strikes about a possible merger.

Ballouz called the move a "win-win situation for everyone," since both establishments are hoping they'll get more business as a result.

The pizzeria will be moving into a space formerly occupied by Scoop DeVille.

Strikes general manager Jeff Tretina said the two businesses are compatible since they both have good reputations on campus, cater to the college budget and offer fun activities.

Although Strikes currently offers gourmet pizza, it will soon remove it from its menu so as not to compete with College Pizza, Tretina said.

Other than the added benefit of additional seating, Ballouz said that all other aspects of College Pizza will remain the same, including its delivery service.

He said the two businesses are hoping they will together be able to draw more customers to the far Western part of campus.

Those customers, however, have mixed reactions to news of the planned move into Strikes.

Wharton junior Craig Lindahl, who lives across the street from Strikes, said the move is "a good situation" for him, since the restaurant's new location will be very convenient.

Lindahl said he thought a move to Strikes would put College Pizza in a more central spot for the off-campus crowd.

He added that the new location may also help College Pizza better compete with Allegro's, since the pizzeria will now be in a place that serves beer.

But Engineering senior Chuck Li, who lives at Hamilton Court, said the move will make College Pizza less appealing because of the added distance.

"I may be more inclined to get pizza when I go to Strikes, but I don't know if it would affect my normal pizza-buying routine," he said.

In regards to the space at 42nd and Chestnut streets, Ballouz said that second location will definitely be an eatery, but he is unsure exactly what type of food it will serve. A diner that also serves pizza remains a possibility, he said.

This new restaurant - which Ballouz said he hopes will open in January - will target families and Chestnut Street traffic in addition to College Pizza's traditional student clientele, he said.

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