CLOSURE: LeBron James connection can’t save Burlington pizza place

In 2017 it was touted as the fastest-growing food chain in history.

And, when it opened in Burlington in 2019, there was much fanfare that basketball superstar LeBron James was part owner.

Now Blaze Pizza has closed its Burlington Centre location.

News of the shutdown was posted on social media and the company’s website today (July 25) after several days of online speculation about its future.

When it first opened, Blaze was able to boast build-your-own pizzas that were ready within minutes and had plenty of ingredients that catered to the tastes of its original audience in Southern California.

After a strong start, most customers said they liked the product but often complained about the prices.

“It was my favourite,” said one Facebook user. “It was good but expensive. Now the closest one is in Oakville but almost in Mississauga.”

Others lamented the loss saying Blaze was one of the few pizza places that accommodates those who have food allergies and intolerances.

“Oh no. Now there are even closer to zero places we can eat in Burlington because we are vegan and gluten-free. Not too many places take that seriously. We loved going there and we went there often,” said another online commentator.

There is no official reason for the closure of the Burlington location, but several reasons were offered by those online.

Some suggested that even though Blaze was located at the busy Burlington Centre, there was no direct entrance from the mall which cut down on potential customer traffic. Others said rising costs put too much pressure on the store to survive.

All of these reasons may be factors but the chain is still in a growth phase across North America and it is likely the Burlington location was just underperforming.

The company has recently been valued at $250 million.

In 2017 foodservice research firm Technomic reported that Blaze was the fastest-growing fast-food chain in the history of the US.

NBA legend LeBron James was an early investor with reports that he now owns 19 franchises and has turned his initial investment into a profit of $35 million.