This sign on the door of Hillers Pizza announces its closure. PHOTO/JERRY SPAR
Hillers Pizza, which has been shrouded in controversy since June, when owner Peter Sismanis was convicted of indecent assault and battery for hugging and kissing a 16-year-old female employee in the restaurant’s basement and sentenced to prison, apparently has closed for good.
According to a sign on the West Main Street restaurant’s door, Hillers Pizza is “permanently” closed effective Sept. 1. “Those that continued to support our family…thank you” it reads. A sign below indicates “Crust & Co. Pizza & More” is coming soon.
The Select Board had set a public hearing for this Thursday to consider its options regarding the common victualer’s license for the restaurant. The hearing on Hillers Pizza’s license is a response to calls from some residents to pull the license. During the public comment period of the Aug. 5 Select Board meeting, residents advocated for immediate action to correct “years of dangerous inaction.” There also have been protests outside the restaurant.
During the Aug. 5 meeting’s public comment period, several people spoke about Sismanis’ history of improper conduct. In September 1997, Sismanis was charged with two counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14 years of age arising from an incident at another business in Hopkinton. He initially pled not guilty to all charges. He later changed his plea to guilty on two of the indecent assault charges.
Also at the Aug. 5 meeting, attorney Benito Zappia spoke on behalf of the Sismanis family and noted that the business was “in the process” of transferring the license to Sismanis’ wife, Eleni.
What’s not yet clear is who the owners of the new restaurant are, or if Eleni Sismanis would have some role in the new establishment.
Eleni Sismanis is not the new owner of Crust & Co. nor is the Sismanis family associated with the new restaurant Crust & Co. Further details on the new restaurant will be forthcoming. As Property Manager of 77 West Main Street and speaking on behalf of the Landlord, we are able to confirm this information publicly.
Sounds like a sneaky way to open under a new name with same owners. We shouldn’t fall for it
This response is as stupid as, i don’t know, making sexual advancements to an underage girl. It what universe would this make sense with so much publicity and public outcry, do you really think the general public wouldn’t find out and more legal issues would come up. Let’s think a little before posting nonsense. The Sismanis family is clearly taking the only path worth taking which is closing their business and leaving the town.