Beloved Colorado pizza place closing its doors, co-owner says "It makes me emotional"

A beloved pizza restaurant in the southern part of the Denver metro area is closing its doors. Frank the Pizza King is a family-favorite pizza shop in Englewood which got the word on Thursday that they will need to vacate in a matter of weeks. Customers and the co-owner are calling it a tough goodbye.

 Frank the Pizza King has been serving pizzas in the community off South Broadway for 64 years. Last week, Matt Krascek, the co-owner got the news that the property owner they've been renting from sold the building to a new owner.

"My heart sank into my stomach when I got that call," said Krascek. "There is a good possibility we could close forever. I really hope not. I pray every day about it."

Krascek said he was told the building was up for sale, but didn't expect for things to move so quickly.

"It makes me emotional thinking about it, like how much this place means people, and how much it means to me and my family," said Krascek.

Krascek's grandparents from Italy started the business more than six decades ago. Old photos of his family hang in the dining room, and the recipes haven't changed over the years. They home-make their sauce, their dough and the sausage.

"They were bringing their own recipes and making pizzas and sandwiches and we've been doing this ever since," said Krascek.

 Many would say it's more than just a restaurant. It's a home away from home, and a place people made memories for decades. Ask anyone who walks through the doors -- like Richard Burton, a long-time customer.

"I've been coming eating here since I was 8 years old when they opened, now I'm 72," said Burton. "We love each other as a customer, as a friend, and now family."

Burton grew up going to Franks and now takes his grandkids there. His photo of his race car also hangs on the wall.

"That's my champion car on the wall over there. You can see this is Frank's pizza logo, for 30 years it has been right in that spot on all our race cars," said Burton.

Burton said the restaurant has been a constant for many, through life's highs and lows, including his own.

"When I got struck by lightning, Maria (the owner) took very good care of my family, making sure they had food at the hospital," said Burton, who was struck by lightning in 2009, and spent 17 weeks in the hospital recovering.

 He added, you don't find many restaurants like it.

"It's going to be sad. You don't find restaurants like this anymore that care about their customers like these guys do," said Burton, who was emotional.

Krascek hopes to open a new location nearby, but says their future is still uncertain.

"I'd love to open up somewhere else. I'd love to stay somewhat in the Englewood footprint, if possible, so everybody can keep coming in and enjoying what I call the Frank's family, my employees and the customers. So, I want to keep this Frank's family together, and this place means everything to me and my family," said Krascek.

Since word got out the restaurant has been packed with customers, but Krascek admits it's a hard goodbye. He says there is still no exact date on when they'll close, but it could be sometime in May.

"We've been scrambling, and really haven't had time to even kind of focus on finding a new location," said Krascek.

Franks posted about the news on their FaceBook page earlier this week. So far, it's gotten hundreds of people engaging with the post. An online fundraiser and petition to save the business has also been created. All money raised will go toward finding a new location.