Popular California Pizza Chain Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

The Little Brown Box Pizza, LLC, the California-based parent company of Pieology restaurants, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on December 8, 2025, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.

Pieology Pizzeria opened a Goleta location in August 2016 inside the Hollister Village shopping center at 7000 Hollister Avenue. This location closed in April 2020, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pieology was founded in 2011 with the idea to turn America’s most craveable food into an affordable and interactive experience, according to a news release. The restaurant lets customers build their own stone-fired custom pizzas, offering four crust choices, six sauces, and more than 35 toppings.

In 2022, Pieology had a 130-restaurant franchise, according to a statement. In 2017, during the peak of the pizza chain’s popularity, NBA star Kevin Durant acquired a stake in Pieology.

The closest Pieology locations to the Central Coast at the time of this publication are in Granada Hills and Arvin, with a variety of other locations throughout Los Angeles County.

About the Bankruptcy Petition

The petition lists the Little Brown Box Pizza’s principal place of business as Irvine, California, and identifies founder Carl Chang as the authorized representative overseeing the filing. 

The company is being represented by Belinda M Vega of Venable LLP. 

The Little Brown Box Pizza identified itself as a small business debtor proceeding under Subchapter V of Chapter 11. 

Type of Filing: Voluntary Petition for Non-Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy

Chapter: 11

Case Number: 8:25-bk-13452-MH 

Estimated Assets: $100,001 to $500,000

Estimated Liabilities: $1,000,001 to $10 million

Reason for Filing: Financial strain caused by large unpaid lease obligations and significant vendor balances

Kustom Partner, LLC, an affiliate of The Little Brown Box Pizza, has also listed for bankruptcy, according to PACER. 

With an estimated 200 to 999 creditors, the pizza chain’s available funds will be available for distribution to unsecured creditors, the filing revealed. 

The bankruptcy petition lists the company’s 20 largest unsecured creditors, which provides insight into the financial strain the company has been facing. Some of the most significant debts, with amounts ranging from $36,000 to over $71,000, stem from restaurant leases. 

The Little Brown Box Pizza owes money to several landlords both in and out of California, according to the filing. 

The company also owes money to several trade vendors, including Sysco, which is listed as owed more than $104,614.94, and its Central Alabama supply branch, which is listed as owed $255,526.03, according to the petition. 

One of the significant unsecured creditors includes the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, with a claim of $125,946.15 as sales tax. 

The company’s board of managers voted on October 1, 2025, to file for bankruptcy, according to the company’s corporate document included with the petition. The document confirms that the board decided that bankruptcy was in the best interest of the company, its affiliates, and creditors.