NY Pizza Expands in Santa Clara

A Slice of New York is expanding its Santa Clara shop into the former JJ’s Lounge space next door, adding indoor seating after years as a mainly grab-and-go operation. The pizza co-op’s founder and general manager, Kirk Vartan, said the move grew out of a practical problem: the Stevens Creek Boulevard location needed major sewer work. The remodel will add 25 to 30 seats, a restroom, a larger display case and more prep space, according to Vartan and the company’s website. The project comes less than a year after the business closed its Sunnyvale location and shifted its focus back to Santa Clara. ### Why is the shop taking over the old JJ’s Lounge space? The 3443 Stevens Creek Blvd. location had sewer problems that forced the business to open walls and floors, Vartan told The Silicon Valley Voice. He said the construction created an opening to expand into the neighboring former blues venue rather than simply repair the existing space. (svvoice.com) The company said on its website on April 4 that it had rebuilt much of its plumbing system, installed a new grease line and grease trap, and shifted most of its water load to new ABS plastic pipes. Vartan wrote that the original cast-iron system dated to 2006 and had been at risk of failure for nearly three years. ### What changes will customers see inside? (svvoice.com) A Slice of New York said the expansion will turn a takeout-heavy storefront into a shop with seating, beer service, a public bathroom and dedicated slice ovens moved from Sunnyvale. The company also said the pie display will be about twice the current size. Vartan told The Silicon Valley Voice that the added room also gives the co-op flexibility. (asliceofny.com) If staffing is thin or demand is slow, he said, the business can close the seating area and continue operating as a grab-and-go shop. He also said the new room could be rented for parties, creating what he called a “high-touch, low-effort experience.” ### Why did the company close Sunnyvale and reinvest here? Vartan said a shortage of workers to staff both stores led the company to close its Sunnyvale location in June 2025. In an April 4 update, the company said plainly that “we closed our Sunnyvale location in June last year,” and that equipment from that store would be reused in Santa Clara. (svvoice.com) The Silicon Valley Voice reported that Vartan believed keeping Sunnyvale might have made more sense on paper, but the co-op chose Santa Clara instead. He said closing the Stevens Creek shop would have “broke my soul” because the location is central to the business’s identity, and he described the decision as collective and democratic. (svvoice.com) ### How expensive has the expansion become? Vartan told The Silicon Valley Voice that the project had already cost more than $450,000 as of May 19. He also said Santa Clara charged the business more than $35,000 in permitting fees, despite what he described as the city’s pro-small-business image. The company said on its website that the city’s permit process took more than four months and that permits were received on Feb. 17. (svvoice.com) Vartan has also sought ideas on Reddit for how to fund the work, according to The Silicon Valley Voice, including suggestions such as sponsorship plaques or customer contributions tied to future discounts. ### What is the risk if the build-out succeeds? A Slice of New York secured only a five-year lease for the added space, Vartan told The Silicon Valley Voice. He said that leaves the co-op carrying a large capital burden without long-term certainty that it can stay in Santa Clara. Vartan told the paper the cost and timing are still daunting, saying, “I see the bills. (svvoice.com) I see what’s coming. I know what is coming. It is a scary, scary thing.” The company is trying to complete the remodel before FIFA World Cup activity reaches Levi’s Stadium this summer, and A Slice of New York is set to mark its 20th anniversary on Sept. 19.