Papa Gino's Closing 7 Restaurants In New England

FRAMINGHAM (CBS) – Papa Gino's has announced it's closing seven pizzerias in New England, just weeks after new ownership took over the restaurants.

The closures affect two locations in Framingham (Worcester Road and Cochituate Road) and Papa Gino's in Natick (Worcester Road), Wilbraham, Melrose and Brockton (Crescent Street). A Papa Gino's in Seabrook, New Hampshire is also closing.

"We do not anticipate any additional closings," CEO Bill Van Epps said in a Papa Gino's Facebook post. "We are doing everything we can to take care of the managers and team members at these locations, including transfers to other Papa Gino's locations or placement assistance to help them find new jobs."

About 95 Papa Gino's and D'Angelo locations suddenly closed last fall, surprising employees.

Private equity investment firm Wynnchurch Capital has since bought the restaurants and formed a new company called New England Authentic Eats.

Earlier this month, the company announced they would be "modernizing the restaurants" and taking "a top-to-bottom look at everything from cooking equipment to the menu to the restaurants themselves."

Papa Gino's was founded in 1961 in East Boston as Piece O' Pizza. It changed its name to Papa Gino's in 1968 and expanded throughout Boston, other parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.