After 50 Years, Beloved Twin Cities Pizza Chain Shuts Down Permanently

TWIN CITIES, MN — A longtime and beloved Twin Cities pizza chain that quietly closed its doors last year is now officially gone for good.

Northern Brands, Inc., the parent company of Gina Maria’s Pizza, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in March, according to a report from KARE 11 citing court records.

The filing calls for liquidation of the business, meaning its assets will be sold off to repay creditors rather than reorganizing and reopening.

Financial details reported by the Daily Mail, also citing court filings, show the company had roughly $3 million in debt compared to about $64,000 in assets at the time of the filing.

Gina Maria’s had already shut down its four west metro locations in October 2025, ending a run that dates back to 1975, when the original restaurant opened in Minnetonka.

At its peak, the chain operated in Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Edina and Plymouth.

The Chapter 7 filing effectively closes the door on any potential comeback.

Still, one familiar location is carrying on part of the brand. In Eden Prairie, a new restaurant, Pizza’s Gina, has taken over a former Gina Maria’s space. The new owner is using similar recipes and equipment left behind by the original business.

A separate restaurant in Orange County, California, also operates under the name Gina Maria’s Pizza, though it is not connected to the Minnesota-based chain.