Mediterranean cuisine restaurant Pita El Saha, located on Marshall Street, will close because its owner is retiring.

Pita El Saha owner Bechara Karam said he is retiring and a deal was reached Wednesday to lease the space to Yogurt Crazy, a frozen yogurt chain.

Karam said there are currently no plans to reopen the store in another location, but his son will have the option to pursue this in the future if he chooses to do so.

James Hindman, a member of the family that owns Yogurt Crazy, confirmed the store is moving into Pita El Saha’s location at 137 Marshall St. Though there is no exact date when this will occur, Hindman said he expects the move to be completed in the next month or two.

Students who frequent Yogurt Crazy’s stores in Long Island have often requested that the company open a location near Syracuse University, Hindman said.

‘It looked like there was an opportunity here, and it looked like there was a demand for it,’ he said. ‘We’re definitely excited to get it going in Syracuse, and we’re hoping to have it open as soon as possible.’

Hours for the new location are not officially set, but Hindman said he expects them to be similar to its recently opened store in Ithaca, near Cornell University. The store is open as late as 1 or 2 a.m. on certain days, he said.

Places on Marshall Street such as King David’s Restaurant, which also offers Middle Eastern food, do not anticipate being affected by the closing of Pita El Saha.

‘I can basically speak for everybody and say that it won’t affect King David’s personally,’ said Anthony Beebe, head chef of the restaurant.

SU students and alumni started to discuss the closure of Pita El Saha on social media websites late Wednesday night after a picture of the store with coming soon advertisements for Yogurt Crazy in the window was posted on Facebook.

Students such as Stephanie Rose, a senior communication and rhetorical studies major, expressed enthusiasm that the store is coming to SU.

Rose said in an email Yogurt Crazy has a location in her hometown of Commack, N.Y., and it is very popular among area residents.

‘Marshall Street’s location is guaranteed to have great business, especially with frozen yogurt chains being so popular,’ she said. ‘I’m really excited and I know everyone else is, too.’

But others, like Kelsey Miller, a junior advertising major, were shocked to hear the restaurant was closing.

She said in an email Pita El Saha was the first place she ever ate at when she came to campus and that its food is incomparable to other venues in the area. Though Miller is excited a frozen yogurt store is opening, she is still upset the restaurant is closing.

A majority of students and alumni on social media websites appeared to share her sentiment of disappointment.

‘It’s literally my favorite place on Marshall Street,’ Miller said. ‘It’s cheap and delicious and it was my go-to.’

dmsegelb@syr.edu

Published on May 17, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Dylan: dmsegelb@syr.edu | @dylan_segelbaum