Fresh spin

There’s a flurry of activity going on at 240 Main St., the future home of Woodstock’s Pizza. For the past several months, co-owners Jeff and Laura Ambrose have been traveling back and forth from their home in San Diego to Chico to meet with designers, city staff and construction companies to get the new location up and running. After a flood damaged the pizzeria’s longtime location at 166 E. Second St. in April, the restaurant closed briefly and then started selling slices and pies curbside. In July, it announced it would be taking over the lease vacated by Crepeville. The Ambroses, who also co-own the six other Woodstock’s Pizza locations in California, have redesigned and expanded the kitchen at the new space, and anticipate increasing pizza production by 50 percent. They’re adding table service, too. And don’t fret: They’re keeping trivia and pint nights, and will continue hosting live music. On a recent morning, the couple sat down with the CN&R to talk about why they’re excited for what’s in store. Follow Woodstock’s on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the opening date (this fall), or grab a slice or pick up a pie to tide you over until then, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the old location.

What are some highlights for the new spot?

Laura: I call it a refresh. We’re putting a big, new [three-sided] bar … in the center island. We’re going to have 24 taps. In the front is all bar-height seating. We’re going to have some of our standard booths. There are four different areas that can be reserved in this space for groups … [and] there’s this inside, what we call the interior patio, that’s going to be lounge seating, and then there’s the patio outside.

Jeff: The patio is a real highlight, too—we’re going to have two different heater/fire tables. We’re going to have misters, so during the hottest parts of the year people can feel comfortable sitting out there.

Laura: We’re also planning to put [out] some games, the kind of standard things, like Jenga, cornhole. The plan will be to make it an all-year venue.

Do you think the new spot will encourage more business?

Jeff: We believe we’ll do better here … being on the corner and having this great visibility coming down Main Street or [East] Third Street. We want to maximize the potential for it.

What has made Chico a good place for Woodstock’s?

Jeff: It’s the quintessential college town. That’s kind of where we thrive. I think we’ve evolved over time to being focused on … creating what we like to call the ultimate pizza experience. Places where people can gather, have fun with events like trivia and pint night. That really, I think, sets us apart.

Laura: My hope is that not only will our longtime loyal customers be excited by the new refresh and the new expanded space, but that we get back people who may not have been here for years. Our goal is to be a place that the entire town embraces, that they feel has everything.