After nearly 39 years in business, a beloved family-owned pizzeria minutes away from CSUN is on the brink of closing. Today, owner Emad Hossini faces $150,000 of debt due to rising costs and slow sales, while trying to keep the pizzeria afloat.
Pizzasaurus Rex, located on Lassen Street, opened in 1987 after Hossini and his friend Tom left their jobs at Domino’s.
“We decided that we didn’t want to do it to deal with Domino’s anymore,” Hossini said. “We want to be on our own, do our own thing and make a better pizza”
The name came from his partner’s playtime with a nephew’s Tyrannosaurus rex toy. According to Hossini, when his partner saw the toy, the name clicked in his head, and so they created “Pizzasaurus Rex.” Despite a slow start, the spot became a CSUN student staple.
Hossini, now operating with his brothers, blames post-pandemic pressures for the $150,000 debt. A 30-day eviction notice from the landlord was the tipping point, despite cost-cutting measures, including forgoing his own pay for 18 months.
“When business is slow, you borrow, and you get deeper in the hole,” Hossini said. “Get through the wars, basically. That’s the main thing.”
Paying off loans, Hossini said, would allow him to “get some sleep” and focus on operations. Currently, he rarely has time outside the store to see his family.
A GoFundMe campaign, titled “Save a Northridge Landmark: Help Keep Pizzasaurus Rex Alive,” launched on Oct. 19, 2025, and has raised $5,235 of its $150K goal as of early March. Social media posts on Instagram and TikTok have increased orders and brought in community support, helping the business stay afloat, though donations have begun to slow.
Mariana Romo, a regular at the shop and a CSUN student majoring in music, said it has become a “comfort food” for her. She fears that its loss would strip away a personal alternative to chains.
“I always go there with my boyfriend when he visits, so I have really good memories attached to that place,” Romo said.
Cesar Rosales, a master’s student in public administration, echoed this sentiment. His first Valley meal was a $7 special at the establishment.
“Pizzasaurus Rex has always been one of those consistent things that’s just there – reliable, affordable and part of student life,” Rosales said.
Rosales pointed to its presence in old Daily Sundial archives through the 1990s, saying that a place with so much history leaving would be heartbreaking.
Rosales called Pizzasaurus Rex a consistent staple for club events and stress relief. He views its potential closure as an erosion of CSUN’s neighborhood fabric, since future generations of students won’t be able to enjoy the institution.
“When you lose those local traditions, you lose what makes our institutions feel like home,” Rosales said. “A student in 1988 could have gotten the same pizza that I picked up a month ago.”
Further efforts to keep the shop open include additional marketing and student specials during finals. Hossini remains hopeful that the CSUN community will help sustain the shop.
“The CSUN community is the backbone of my business,” Hossini said. “And hopefully, they’ll help keep me in business for a long, long time – at least another four years.”
With debt mounting and time running short, the future of Pizzasaurus Rex remains uncertain. Hossini says he is relying on the same community that sustained the business for nearly 39 years to help carry it forward.
“Seeing the smiles on their faces when they pick up the pizza,” Hossini said, “that’s what keeps me going.”
