Customers wait in line to order just before noon June 18 at Luiggi’s Pizzeria in Lewiston. The longtime Sabattus Street restaurant, which reopened this spring under new ownership, announced Monday it is closing for good. (Russ Dillingham/Staff Photographer)

Just five months after reopening Luiggi’s Pizzeria at 63 Sabattus St., owners Zach and Keshia Pratt have thrown in the towel, announcing on the Luiggi’s Facebook page that the restaurant is closing for good.

“Rumors have begun to circulate, and with heavy hearts, we can now share that they are true: after 72 years, Luiggis Pizzeria will be closing permanently,” the post starts. The post did not say when Luiggi’s would close, although it has been closed for a week already, apparently.

The Monday morning announcement was not unexpected, as the Pratts struggled with many aspects of the business from the outset, from getting the renovated building inspected to satisfying customer expectations on food quality and originality, with many voicing their dissatisfaction with changes the Pratts made to the offerings.

The Pratts bought the restaurant in October last year, diving in with a full remodel, and then reopened in late March.

The Pratts insisted all along that they would preserve the legacy of Luiggi’s and the recipes maintained over the years by the Talarico and St. Hilaire families who previously owned Luiggi’s. At the same time, they said they wanted to make some changes and mix things up. While some customers reacted positively, far more flooded social media with complaints, something that the Pratts acknowledged in their post announcing the closure.

“We did our best to stay true to the heart of what this place once was,” the post states, adding, “But we also learned that while memories stay sweet, tastes and expectations evolve … we received frequent negative feedback — often more than kind words. Our team showed up every day trying to create something people would love, and over time, the constant criticism became discouraging for staff who were working hard behind the scenes.”

In a June interview, Zach Pratt expressed his frustrations with the situation, telling the Sun Journal that if it wasn’t for the specials they were running, the restaurant resembled a ghost town.

“Customer visits gradually became fewer and centered mostly around specialty days,” the Luiggi’s post reads. “As much as we love those moments, the reality is that a small business can’t survive on occasional support alone. The financial strain became too great to ignore.”