---
title: "NYPD Pizza Metrowest Closes After 25 Years, Citing Doubling Rent and Unsustainable Lease Terms"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/4252c06b-df61-4699-bf80-70af5cd1b453
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20251017_nypd_pizza_metrowest_closes_after_25_years_citing_doubling_rent_and_unsusta.html
category: "Pizza"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Pizza"
published: 2025-10-17T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T17:17:14.569Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1561758033-d89a9ad46330?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# NYPD Pizza Metrowest Closes After 25 Years, Citing Doubling Rent and Unsustainable Lease Terms

**TL;DR:** NYPD Pizza has closed its Metrowest location after 25 years due to a doubling of rent and unsustainable lease terms. The company will continue to serve Central Florida through its four existing locations and is seeking a new corporate location in the Metrowest area.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2025-10-17. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20251017_nypd_pizza_metrowest_closes_after_25_years_citing_doubling_rent_and_unsusta.html).*

## Story

“What’s happening isn’t just about small or family-run businesses anymore—it’s hitting everyone,” said Paul Russo, Founder of NYPD Pizza. “We’ve been hearing more and more about these aggressive rent increases, and now it’s happened to us. The terms we were presented with were simply unsustainable.”

As commercial landlords continue pushing for higher returns, many restaurant operators—regardless of size or history—are finding themselves priced out of the very neighborhoods they helped to build and serve. NYPD Pizza’s departure from Metrowest reflects a broader industry-wide challenge where the gap between lease expectations and economic viability is widening.

A new NYPD Pizza location will soon open in Winter Park, led by franchise owner Valerie Abreu, who brings a strong passion for hospitality and a commitment to continuing the brand’s tradition of great food and community connection.

NYPD Pizza will continue serving Central Florida through its four existing locations, with additional stores currently in development. The company is also actively seeking a new corporate location in the Metrowest area.

“We may be leaving this location, but we’re not leaving the community,” Russo added. “We’re incredibly grateful for 24 amazing years here, and we look forward to returning—when we can do so on terms that make sense for everyone involved.”

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- QSR (sector)
- franchise expansion (topic)
- restaurant industry (topic)
- Winter Park (location)
- location closure (topic)
- lease terms (topic)
- NYPD Pizza (company)
- Paul Russo (person)
- Metrowest (location)
- Valerie Abreu (person)
- rent increase (topic)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20251017_nypd_pizza_metrowest_closes_after_25_years_citing_doubling_rent_and_unsusta.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/4252c06b-df61-4699-bf80-70af5cd1b453).