Aurelio’s Pizza Macomb Closes

Aurelio's pizzas.

New Franchisee Sought for Coveted Location

January 7, 2016 (Chicago, IL) – It’s a sad day for Macomb residents and Western Illinois students. Aurelio’s Pizza, the beloved brand for over 35 in Macomb, closed its doors at the end of the 2015 year. The Aurelio’s franchise operator Jim Buwick gave up his franchise because he no longer believed in the high standards and systems the Aurelio’s brand adheres to and has for over 57 years. Aurelio’s Pizza has remained true to its recipes, and never wavering from using the freshest and highest quality ingredients. All Aurelio’s Pizza locations make their dough fresh daily from scratch in their own kitchens. The Italian sausage is made three times a week, to ensure freshness, and never using preservatives or fillers.

The Aurelio’s Pizza “shield” represents serving Quality, Quantity, and Value to their loyal customers since 1959. So, remember if you don’t see the Aurelio’s shield, it is not Aurelio’s Pizza.

Aurelio’s pizza is Chicago’s oldest pizza chain and the Nations fifth oldest. Joe Aurelio Jr was known as a true pioneer in the pizza business opening the first Aurelio’s Pizza in Homewood, Illinois in 1959 and began franchising in 1974. Today, the Aurelio’s chain has over 41 locations in six states and has three new and expanded locations opening in Cedar Lake, IN, Portage, IN and Fishers, IN within a few months. Aurelio’s Pizza in Peoria, IL is celebrating its 2nd Anniversary and is the closest Aurelio’s location to Macomb at this time.

“2015 was a banner year for the Aurelio’s Pizza chain,” said Joe Aurelio, President and CEO. “Aurelio’s was named Top 100 Pizza Chains in America, inducted into the prestigious Pizza Hall of Fame, was named Next Big 300 Franchises on the Move and is continually recognized as one of Chicago’s premium thin crust pizzas.”

Aurelio’s hopes to open a new location in Macomb to fill the void and will be pursuing a new franchisee.

For applications to become a franchise owner, Visit www.aureliospizza.com.

Currently, the nearest franchise location to Macomb is in Morris, around 3 hours away.

About Aurelio’s Pizza

With a history as rich and entrenched in the community as the pizza it’s famous for, the first Aurelio’s restaurant opened on Ridge Road in Homewood, IL as the pride and joy of Joseph A. Aurelio, Jr. who decided to give it a go as a restaurateur at the age of 26.

With its legendary “old oven” dating back to 1959 in its Homewood location, Aurelio’s was a pioneer in the concept of the Family Pizzeria in the United States and helped to launch pizza into the American lexicon. Since that time, Aurelio’s has become one of Chicagoland’s claims to fame. And, transplanted Chicagoans all over the map have helped to bring their favorite pizzeria franchise to 41 cities across six states, growing a strong fan base for the taste of Aurelio’s.