Location: Montclair, New Jersey

A recent renovation decision by a local pizza shop owner has stirred up significant online debate. Jason Rosenthal, who operates the eatery on Walnut Street, replaced a well-loved mural that had graced the building for years, replacing it with new artwork that has polarized community opinions.

Rosenthal recently took ownership of the establishment and sought to update the building’s appearance. The previous mural, which portrayed two elderly women, was recognized as a poignant symbol of female empowerment. After five years, he felt it was time for a refresh and commissioned artist Jen Flaum to design a new mural featuring pizzas.

This transformation, however, quickly garnered attention on social media. Flaum’s TikTok post showcasing the new artwork achieved remarkable traction, amassing over 24 million views.

Despite the backlash online, Rosenthal expressed surprise at the emotional attachment many had to the old mural. “We knew people liked it,” he noted, “but in the four years, no one told us how much it meant to them.”

Addressing the criticism, he emphasized, “I can appreciate and respect how much people miss it and loved it, but the intention behind changing it was nothing other than we just wanted to refresh our wall after almost five years.”

Interestingly, local patrons seem less concerned about the change. One customer remarked, “I feel like it doesn’t matter because the mural fits now — it’s a pizza place.”

Rosenthal mentioned that he intends to update the mural again in the next four to five years. For now, his focus remains on the culinary offerings of his pizza establishment rather than the surrounding controversy.