Main Street Pizza & Noodle has served locals and visitors for more than 35 years. It abruptly closed its doors April 5 after catering to more than 8 million guests.
Restaurant owner Rick Smith cited rising rent and pressure from national tenants as factors in the decision to close.
Stanton Road Capital, LLC (SRC) purchased the property at 530-544 Main Street in August 2025. The 17,000-square-foot building also houses Riverhorse on Main.
Park City resident Matthew Prince is one of SRC’s investors. The co-founder and CEO of tech firm Cloudflare also co-owns The Park Record with his wife, Tatiana Prince, and is in the process of building a home on Treasure Hill.
After the sale, Matthew Prince told The Park Record he plans to acquire more of Main Street over time. He described himself as “not being driven by profits in the same manner as other building owners in the Main Street core.” Prince said that allows him to “offer leases at rates below others.”
But Smith told KPCW, soon after the purchase, SRC raised the rent. Smith said he previously paid $70 per square foot. Now, the rent has doubled.
Prince and SRC had not responded to KPCW’s requests for comment as of April 7.
Future plans for the Main Street space are not yet clear. However, Park City Municipal records show athleisure clothing brand Alo, LLC, now has the commercial chain business license registered to the space. Park City code caps the number of chain businesses allowed on historic Main Street to 24.
Smith said mom-and-pop places like his don’t stand a chance when investment firms step in.
“The new Park City billionaires are driving out us millionaires and at the same time destroying the fabric of what made Park City special for decades,” Smith told KPCW. “Soon we will be like Anywhere, USA, just in a historical district.”
Smith said Main Street Pizza & Noodle is his life’s work and one of his greatest accomplishments.
At age 24 he opened the restaurant and the first night, his staff served only eight customers. At the time, Smith worried he’d made a huge mistake.
The next day, the U.S. hosted the 1991 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. The restaurant flooded with 800 celebrating diners, and Smith said it’s been a success ever since.
He said the best part of Main Street Pizza & Noodle was the people.
“I have been able to be a part of so many of my employees' lives and watch the store provide for them, put people through college, many bought homes and raised their children,” he said. “I watched many employees go from teens to full-grown adults.”
The Sundance Film Festival, Kimball Arts Festival and Fourth of July and Miners Day parades were also highlights.
“Park City will always be home to me. I raised my children and grandchildren here,” Smith said. “Much love from me to Park City.”
After feeding generations on Main Street, Smith said he’s retiring. He’s looking forward to spending more time with family and traveling.
