Trio takes over 2Wives restaurant

March 11, 2011 11:00 pm • Last Updated: March 11, 2011 10:44 pm

By By ANTHONY CRONIN Day Business Editor

There's a trio of new owners at the 2Wives Brick Oven Pizza restaurant in downtown New London, and they're promising to add a few new touches to the popular downtown eatery.

The restaurant's new owners are Edward DeMuzzio, who is also the president of CCi Computer Centers based in New London, his daughter Kristin DeMuzzio, and Amy Sarcia.

Sarcia, who previously was a partner in the restaurant with downtown developer Peter M. Levine, said that she and the DeMuzzios bought out Levine's remaining interest. Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

Sarcia said the trio plans to add some seasonal items to the 2Wives menu, along with some possible pasta dishes. The restaurant's current menu includes a variety of specialty pizzas, salads, panini sandwiches and homemade desserts. It also features vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free offerings. The downtown restaurant opened in May 2009.

Both Sarcia and Kristin DeMuzzio are handling the restaurant's day-to-day operations. "Kristin and I started managing back in (early) January," said Sarcia, about a month before the official closing of the deal.

DeMuzzio, whose computer company has operations in New London, Old Saybrook, Quaker Hill, Groton, Pawcatuck and Norwich, said he's excited about the restaurant's prospects and is looking forward to a new chapter as a restaurateur.

"We are slowly making some changes," he said, but added that Levine and Sarcia's successful management of the downtown restaurant made it a popular gathering spot and an attractive asset to acquire. Levine is the president and founder of Amber Properties LLC, a Westchester County, N.Y.-based developer and operator of multifamily, commercial and mixed-use real estate properties.

Levine developed the Huntington Street property - the former Monte Cristo Garage built in 1914 - into a mixed-use complex that now includes 2Wives, the Bean & Leaf coffee house, the Treehugger Organic Salon and 19 luxury apartments. In addition, his downtown New London holdings include 73 Washington St., featuring 28 apartments and an art studio.

"I decided that I would like to try it," DeMuzzio said of his newest business venture. Both Sarcia and Kristin DeMuzzio have restaurant experience, he said. DeMuzzio said he began negotiations for the restaurant's purchase in December and the deal was consummated on Feb. 4. The downtown restaurant employs about 25 full- and part-time employees.

DeMuzzio said he and his co-owners are considering a number of ideas for their restaurant, including special events, such as its March 24 beer-and-cheese tasting event from 6 to 9 p.m., as well as possibly a "celebrity chef" series.

"We are going to try to keep it as interesting as we can," DeMuzzio said.

a.cronin@theday.com