Listen to this articleThe basics:
- SQ Pizza closes its Mahwah restaurant after five years
- Owners cited rent increases, challenges of the highway location
- Montvale eatery remains open with larger dine-in footprint
- Georgiades family also rebranding Eons concept
Family-owned fast-casual concept SQ Pizza is rethinking its footprint in Bergen County.
In a Jan. 4 social media post, husband-wife team George and Anoush Georgiades announced the closure of the location along Route 17 in Mahwah after five years in business.
In addition to thanking customers for their “love and support,” the owners shared, “Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are heartbroken to share that our Mahwah location is permanently closing. It has been a pleasure to serve you and your families.”
They noted the SQ Pizza that opened in Montvale nearly two years ago remains open. “We truly hope you’ll continue to be a part of the SQ family there,” the couple said.
At SQ Pizza, the menu revolves around authentic Roman-style square-shaped pizza that can be ordered by the slice or pan. Made from high-hydration, long-rising dough crafted from non-GMO wheat flour, the pizza comes in varieties ranging from classic margherita to buffalo chicken.
Additionally, the BYOB spot offers fresh gelato, pizza bread, pasta dishes, salads and desserts.
‘Tough’ location
Anoush Georgiades told NJBIZ, “Unfortunately, Mahwah was a tough highway location with lease/rent increase and SQ works best in real neighborhood communities such as Montvale.”
In Mahwah, SQ Pizza’s 2,000-square-foot space was located in a 7,770-square-foot strip center alongside tenants like AT&T and Starbucks.
The 2,500-square-foot restaurant in Montvale includes a bigger dining area for families to enjoy dinner together. There’s also an outdoor patio with seating.
At the S. Hekemian Group-owned North Market, SQ Pizza’s neighbors include Valley Health System, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Beattie Padovano LLC, Fleming’s Steakhouse, Paris Baguette, Crumbl Cookies and Rumble Boxing.
It is across the street from the S. Hekemian Group’s The Shoppes at DePiero Farm. That 231,000-square-foot retail center’s lineup features tenants including Wegmans Food Market, Starbucks, Lululemon, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Warby Parker and Ulta Beauty.
More changes ahead
The Shoppes at DePiero is also home to another fast-casual brand owned by the Georgiades.
Founded in 2015, Eons is known for its customizable menu of sustainably sourced, non-GMO Mediterranean food. The concept allows customers to select a base of pita, rice or salad, and add proteins like hormone & antibiotic-free chicken, wild caught shrimp and “sushi grade” wild octopus. It also offered Greek sides, like chickpea or beet salad and farro, as well as signature bowls and wraps.
Besides Montvale, Eons Stix has a location in New York City.
Currently, the Mahwah couple is in the midst of rebranding Eons as a restaurant focused on freshly grilled proteins on skewers with unlimited toppings, Anoush Georgiades said.
Guests are able to customize their dishes with choice of base, spreads, toppings, dressings and proteins including chicken, salmon, shrimp and meatballs. Veggie-forward options such as falafel are also available.
“We are focusing on Montvale at this time with both SQ Pizza and … Eons Stix,” she said.
Working together
The initial concept for Eons drew upon the cuisine George, a first-generation Greek American, grew up on and his many years of experience as a fine dining chef, as well as Anoush’s love of fast-casual restaurants.
Before opening the first location in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan, George was a chef and partner at fine-dining Greek seafood restaurant Varka in Ramsey for a decade.
Anoush, a Julliard-trained musician and teacher of violin, viola and piano, supported her early music career by working in numerous Manhattan restaurants and met George when he was working as chef at Avra Estiatorio. After marrying and starting a family, they began planning concepts closer to their Bergen County home.
