The Farmhouse, a pizza shop, is opening at a new location on Hillsborough Street three buildings down from where it used to be located in place of the Cantina, a restaurant and bar. The move-in process took about three months.

Marc Berger, the Farmhouse owner, said the Farmhouse will most likely open Jan. 26.

According to Berger, the foundation in the old building was starting to fall through and the landlord refused to fix it.

“We were just waiting for the day when either a customer or an employee was basically going to fall through the floor, like right to the ground,” he said.

Berger, who worked in pizza shops throughout college, said he moved to Raleigh in the summer of 2004, and that’s when he opened the Farmhouse.

“It was just something I always wanted to do,” he said.

When a customer mentioned the Cantina was experiencing business trouble and wanted to get out of its lease, Berger said it was an immediate decision to move into that building, which he decided to do Oct. 15, but the actual moving process has taken almost three months.

“[The decision] was kind of an overnight thing. We just packed everything up on a Friday night and were in here by Sunday,” he said. “We never thought in a million years it would take us three months to reopen or we would have done it differently.”

According to Berger, the move-in took three months because the kitchen required a lot of renovating and the health department prolonged the process, making sure the building met city health codes.

“I wouldn’t have made a quick decision,” Berger said. “I would have planned it better — planned it so that a lot of work [would’ve been] done while we were still in business.”

The most noticeable difference in the new Farmhouse is the addition of a bar.

Berger said although the restaurant had a beer license before, the biggest change offered in the new setting is the bar. He said that the menu is not changing and there will also still probably be live music every Friday and Saturday.

“It’s still just a pizza shop,” he said. “People like to hang out there and spend time there and have beers.”

Some students like Ginny Hager thought the change of location was a good idea.

Hager, a junior in communication, said she thinks the move was a smart decision because the new two-story building offers more space.

“It’ll be good, and more people will be able to come,” she said.

Mariana Lhotsky, a junior in textile and apparel management, agreed.

“I think it was a good idea just because it’s bigger,” she said. “They were kind of limited on space at the old place.”

According to Berger, the opening will start out quieter until the Farmhouse regains its footing and loyal customer base. However, he said he eventually wants to do a grander opening with the State-based hip-hop band Inflow.

Berger attributed the Farmhouse’s popularity to its atmosphere and familiarity.

According to Berger, Farmhouse employees try to make it a laid-back place. He said he thinks there’s also a comfort level in knowing the people who run the place.

“I think students enjoy that they know me and my wife,” Berger said. “They can come up and tell us if something wasn’t good or ‘where’s my food?'”

Lhotsky confirmed Berger’s thought.

“The owner is just really personal and he really gets to know everyone who comes in,” she said.

David Goodson, a junior in mechanical engineering, echoed Lhotsky’s statement.

“It’s a really relaxed atmosphere, and the owner’s really nice,” he said.

A few students reflected on memories they made at the Farmhouse.

Goodson said one night at the restaurant, between half to a third of his fraternity came out to listen to one of the brother’s bands.

“Basically, everyone I knew was there,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Lhotsky said she and her friends used to go every Saturday night.

Berger said he’s really happy now that the Farmhouse is about to reopen.

“I think people are going to like it even more,” he said. “It’s got a warmer feel to it.”