Singas Famous Pizza Opens In Hauppauge

 Singas Famous Pizza, a well-known pizzeria started by a Greek immigrant, opened its doors in Hauppauge Shopping Center last week. The newest pizzeria is located within a triangle of competitors.

The company has spent most of the past two months renovating 387 Nesconset Highway, opening its storefront next to the Army Career Center in the Hauppauge Shopping Center.

Singas' Director of Operations Enrique Almela said its one of approximately four to five locations the company plans to open this year, slowly franchising out to expand its customers base since 2004.

“Our rate of expansion is slow because we hand train our franchise owners,” Almela said. “Our dough and garlic knots are made by hands every day. Nothing’s frozen.”

The  storefront has been vacant for more than a year. It was previous occupied by Socialite, a contemporary, junior woman’s clothing and accessories boutique that relocated to Merrick in 2009. But one store’s loss is another’s gain, as the location was perfect for Singas, Almela said. 

“I always love to be in a shopping center, You see a space in a shopping center with an anchor shop like a box store or supermarket is good for business” he said. “It’s very difficult to find a place in a strip mall on Long Island where it's worth it and where the rent is reasonable."

Singas seems  like a typical pizzeria, with burgundy booths and black chairs in a well-lit with a small dining space in front of the counter. But it puts a different spin on its pizza, as there’s no by-the-slice ordering that many New Yorkers are accustomed to. Singas’ signature is its 10-inch individual pizzas, dished up in single topics and various combinations.

Almela said  if there’s nothing on the menu, step up to the counter and give a customized order, get it your way in approximately 8 – 10 minutes.

It’s new location is directly across the street from Branchinelli’s, and minutes from two long standing community pizzerias, Mama Sburro’s and Ciro’s. Almela said Singas isn’t intimidated by the competition.

 “Typically, I don’t concern myself with other pizzerias. If I did, I’d go crazy,” he said.