Sliver Pizzeria will soon open its second location at 2174 Shattuck Ave., returning to its original stomping grounds of Downtown Berkeley.
The pizzeria left its previous location on Center Street in Downtown Berkeley in December 2017 because of unforeseen circumstances. Sliver then relocated to its current Telegraph Avenue location, a space formerly occupied by Pieology, in January. Lauren Irion, a manager at Sliver, said in an email that Sliver’s transition to Telegraph was difficult, but the restaurant is grateful to add a location in the Downtown area.
“We are excited to reunite with our B.C.C. & Berkeley High family, in addition to the local merchants and staff who reside downtown. … We hope to continue to serve the community we love and continue to grow as a business,” Irion said in an email. “We are eager to get the doors open but don’t have an exact date set just yet.”
According to Irion, Sliver chose to come back to the Downtown area because its founders are Berkeley natives who grew up attending Berkeley schools and said they wanted to give back to the community they loved.
“We loved being in Downtown Berkeley and we thrived there. We are excited to make a comeback and also bring more job opportunities to Downtown,” Irion said in an email.
Irion added that in the new location, Sliver hopes to maintain the “Sliver culture,” which is centered around fresh ingredients and fast service. Sliver Pizzeria specializes in selling only one type of pizza and salad each day and posts a weekly menu online. According to its website, selling one type of pizza a day allows the pizzeria to keep its ingredients fresh and minimize the wait.
Sliver Pizzeria is also involved in the fight against human trafficking. According to its website, Sliver supports local organizations that rehabilitate victims of human trafficking.
“We want to be a platform for organizations with a social conscience and bring awareness and support to a variety of causes close to our hearts,” Irion said in an email.
Josephine Fealy, manager of Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, which the new Sliver location will be next to, said Sliver will add some competition because they are another quick service restaurant. She said, however, that having Sliver next door might attract more business because of people’s familiarity with the pizzeria.
Jessica Tung, general manager of Jupiter, which is in the same area as the incoming Sliver location, also said Sliver’s opening may affect Jupiter’s business but added that Jupiter sells different styles of pizza and is focused on craft beer.
“I’d just wish them the best of luck,” Tung said.