Wizeguyz Pizzeriaz on Main Street opens its doors
It has been almost a year in the making, but Wizeguyz Pizzeriaz has opened up on Main Street and is ready for business.
"I'm just happy to be open. That's it," said co-owner Greg Bourassa. "The town has embraced us. We have been very busy. We haven't closed once on time, yet."
Wizeguyz Pizzeria is a family-run business owned by husband and wife team Roland and Janice Bourassa, sons Chris, Joshua, and Greg Bourassa, and Greg's wife Marcella Bourassa. Pizza artisan Jeffe Beaulieu helps conceive the pizzas.
"Some families can't do it. Some can. I guess we're one of the lucky ones," Greg Bourassa said with a smile.
The restaurant opened on 198 Main Street on Friday, August 17. The Bourassas took over the building in September of 2011 from former tenant Fat Paulie's, Greg Bourassa said.
Various issues needed to be sorted out between the town and the property owner before they could open, however.
"We waited almost a year to open, and here we are," Greg Bourassa said. "We missed the [summer] season, but, oh well."
Greg Bourassa opened up on Main Street because of the downtown location. "There is a lot of traffic. There was no better place on Main Street," he said.
Ongoing revitalization projects on Main Street have been an added surprise. Last Friday, just a week after opening, Wizeguyz Pizzerias participated in the Wareham Village Association's second "Main Street Madness."
Main Street Madness is a day of discounts and prizes which aims to promote Main Street businesses. Wizeguyz Pizzeriaz offered a free slice of pizza throughout the day.
"It really was madness. We gave out over 800 menus," Greg Bourassa said, noting that he had just enough menus left for the tables.
"The business that [the association] drummed up was unbelievable. For the whole area. For everybody," Greg Bourassa said.
Greg Bourassa acknowledged that other pizza places are well-established in town.
But, he said, his restaurant's pizza and low cost makes it competitive. "The pizza is good," he said. "It's what we are known for, our pizza."
The Bourassas first opened up Wizeguyz Pizzeriaz in Rehoboth in 2010. Issues with the property in Rehoboth caused it to close down in 2011, Greg Bourassa said.
The Bourassas, who are from Providence, Rhode Island, first came to Wareham when they opened Lighthouse Cafe in Onset Village in the summer of 2011. The family wanted to run a year-round business, however, and closed down the cafe at the end of the summer to pursue Wizeguyz Pizzeriaz, Greg Bourassa said.
The restaurant also distinguishes itself with its "Wizeguyz" theme. The store windows are plastered with an artist's rendition of four of the male co-owners giving snappy, tough-guy comments such as, "Youz guyz want a pizza this?"
"We were trying to come up with a theme. Fun ... and intriguing. So people are intrigued to come in," Greg Bourassa said.
And the Bourassas are already thinking about the future. They have filled out the paperwork to turn the business into a franchise so other owners can open up their own Wizeguyz Pizzeriaz in other locations.
Owners will have their own images plastered on the store windows as their variation on the Wizeguyz theme, Greg Bourassa said.