So the Famous Original Ray's Pizza here in the Red Square shops is gone. As you can see, workers have cleared out the space...
I get all the various Ray's mixed up. (Serious Eats does some detective work here.)
According to the Famous Original Ray's Pizza Facebook page:
We are the Mangano family, the owners of Famous Original Ray's Pizza. The patriarch of our family, Rosolino "Ray" Mangano, started it all. He created the original Ray's Pizza. Today we still follow Ray's recipes.
Recently, there has been significant media attention surrounding the closing of the Ray's Pizza on Prince Street and the closing of Famous Ray's Pizza on 11th Street. A number of incorrect statements have been made in the news stories. To be clear, we own federal trademark registrations issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the Ray's Pizza trademarks. Over the years we have systematically taken steps to stop infringers from using our trademarks. We did commence an infringement lawsuit against the operator of the Famous Ray's Pizza located on 11th Street. That lawsuit was recently settled.
We have an important message for all infringers of the Ray's Pizza trademarks: WE WILL STOP YOU. If you want to avoid litigation and the payment of damages STOP NOW.
Anyway, the Famous Original Ray's Pizza is still open on the other side of Houston near Orchard Street.
P.S.
By the end of yesterday afternoon, workers had removed the Ray's sign from the building...
Famous Ray's on 6th and 11th was a mere shadow of its former self from the 60's and 70's. They used to serve all their pizza fresh baked from the oven, with what seemed like a 1/2 pound of cheese on each slice. It was almost impossible to eat by hand, but now, they were following the modern NYC pizza model of baking dozens of pies before hand and reheating them before serving. It's not the same taste, as everything changes taste with reheating. Sorry to see the landmark go, but no great culinary loss IMHO.
ReplyDeleteSad to see Ray's closing, the sign gone and a Subway thriving right next door to it. A sign of the times, I guess.
ReplyDeleteguys, red square itself was gentrification and although it's not "new" it's only been there since 1989, along with the shops it brought, including the "fake" "famous" ray's. there's dozens of pizza shops claiming to be a "famous" ray's in this town.aborardi stock
ReplyDeleteMy first Rays was the 6th Ave & 11th one back in the early '80s. $1 per slice and you had to eat it with a fork and knife, one slice was a meal, so I agree with the first commenter. Never liked the Rays on Prince - the ladies in the restaurant were great, but the guys on the slice side were snooty for no reason.
ReplyDeleteToday, I'm a Pizza Junkie fan, Stanton bet. Chrystie & Bowery. Go for the slice, but order an entre -chicken parm' w/linguine for $5 and includes a soda of your choice. Ya can't beat that price.