Anyone who has been downtown recently has wondered about Hamilton’s new Pizza Place. What are those mannequins in the window? Why is there a fifth pizza place in Hamilton, NY when we could desperately use a good Thai or Mexican restaurant? And is its name really just Pizza Place? After some investigation, the facts came out. The new establishment at 6 Broad Street is in fact a new pizza place called Pizza Place. Pizza Place is owned by Dan Foster and was opened for the students and citizens of Hamilton, NY on Monday, April 9.

Pizza Place advertises itself as the “Home of the 24″ Super Pie,” but it offers many other specialty items and other pizzas as well. It offers a small, large and super pie pizza, and also slices (which… shockingly, don’t come plain only). In addition to pizza, Pizza Place also sells calzones, wings, salad, hot and cold subs, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, garlic bread and various pastas. Now the real question is, how does Pizza Place compare to New York Pizzeria (Slices) and Oliveri’s?

“Although the slice I got at Pizza Place was unquestionably larger, I thought the pizza wasn’t as good as Slices,” senior Laura Johnston said. “I personally don’t like the sauce Oliveri’s uses, so I liked Pizza Place better. However, the slice I had was really doughy, and I like that Slices has crispier crusts.”

Sophomore Conley Stout felt differently about the pizza. He ordered a small pizza with the 12 wing special.

“The pizza was delicious and much better than both Oliveri’s and Slices,” Stout said. “I prefer wings to be juicy as opposed to crunchy.”

“Pizza Place is decent but overpriced,” sophomore David Kusnetz. “The average slice of pizza was larger than that of Slices and Oliveris, and it tasted better than Oliveris but not better than Slices. Slices tastes better and is 50 cents cheaper. The new place is not worth it.”

“Pizza Place was pretty good,” sophomore Jessica Dodge said. “I liked that I could get slices with the toppings that I wanted. The slice was huge, but the plain pizza at slices is significantly better.” Dodge also still prefers Oliveri’s for everything other than pizza.

Even if Pizza Place’s slices are comparable and competitive with Slices and Oliveri’s, a lot of Colgate students are still concerned with the fact that Hamilton has yet another pizza place.

“A fifth pizza place is an utter waste,” Johnston said. “I don’t know what the Chamber of Commerce was thinking when they approved Pizza Place.”

Slices, Oliveri’s, Pizza Pub and Pizza Hut make up the other four pizza spots in town, and you can also get pizza at Numero Uno and the Colgate Inn.

“The new pizza place is pretty unnecessary,” Dodge said.

“I hate the idea that we are getting an ‘export’ from Hamilton College, since Colgate is unquestionably better,” Johnston admitted. The 6 Broad St. spot is Pizza Place’s second location. Their first is at 7 Taylor Ave. in Clinton, NY.

“Slices is much faster, as they are always at the ready,” Johnston said. “The service at Pizza Place was adequate, but I do wonder whether Pizza Place has the stamina to put up with inebriated Colgate students until 3 A.M. every night of the week.”

In conclusion, Pizza Place is worth trying. It’s here to stay, and it doesn’t hurt that its location is more convenient on a walk home from the Jug. Just remember to avoid their wings, and don’t expect slices with such expediency as one would get at Slices. But if you are in the mood for a more doughy and flavorful slice, than Pizza Place is the place for you.