Q's of Chicago pizzeria in the Galleria on Main Street closed Sept. 29 due to management and personal problems, but the restaurant's co-owners say they might reopen in the near future.
Co-owner Bill Gagne said a problem with the management of the pizzeria and Italian restaurant was the main reason Q's closed.
"Q's is closed because of a business decision I made based on economics," Gagne said. He would not comment further about the future of the restaurant until a final decision is made sometime next week.
But Gagne did say a glut of pizza restaurants in Hanover made competing difficult. "There is more pizza per capita in Hanover than there is in Boston or Chicago," he said.
Gagne said Q's may re-open soon. Currently, however, the property is scheduled to go on the auction block Oct. 22.
Jennifer Gibbs, the other owner, said the Galleria's frequent changes in management over the past two years caused many businesses to move out, which in turn led to decreased business at Q's.
Although she said financial problems were not the main reason for the restaurant's closing, Gibb said when other businesses moved out of the mall there was less traffic in the Galleria, which led to smaller numbers of walk-in customers.
Gibbs also said personal problems affected the working relationship between her and Gagne. Gibbs said she and Gagne had been in a relationship that ended five months ago.
"It definitely takes two people to run the restaurant, and they must be close. You have to have a good working relationship between the partners," Gibbs said.
According to Gibbs, she and Gagne could not maintain their working relationship after they broke up.
"The working environment was not as conducive, but certainly we were operating a successful business even after the end of the relationship," Gagne said.
Gagne also cited the small numbers of Dartmouth students that frequented Q's as a problem. According to Gagne, students care more about convenience than about high-quality pizza, and therefore frequent restaurants closer to campus.
Gagne also said he had trouble finding reliable workers. Dartmouth students working at Q's often canceled at the last minute or did not show up at all, he said.
Gibbs said she and Gagne originally opened Q's as an experimental restaurant, planning to open other restaurants if the Hanover spot succeeded.
