College Park's Ratsie's, a self-proclaimed "Terrapin Eatery," served its final slice this weekend.

Ratsie's has sat on the corner of Knox Road and Baltimore Avenue for more than 30 years, giving generations of Terps their fill of pizza, wings and subs, as its glaring neon red sign depicts. The owners spent their finals weeks unsure when exactly they would close the famed pizza spot. Nando's Peri-Peri, the restaurant taking over the space, gave them the go-ahead this week.

Therese Johns-Falamoun, who with her husband Mike has owned Ratsie's for more than 15 years, decided it was time to close their doors for good almost three years ago because it has gotten too exhausting to run the restaurant. They plan on trading in Ratsie's late nights and long hours for retirement or a quieter business, like a coffee shop.

“We're just looking forward to the next stage of life," Johns-Falamoun said. “Our kids are going to college … and so, they'd be out of the house and we would be free to do whatever we want … it's up in the air, but nobody knows what the future holds."

Johns-Falamoun denies they closed Ratsie's because of the influx of other pizza restaurants that have sprung up around downtown College Park in recent years – with Blaze Pizza's October opening, the city is up to 13. She said every Route 1 restaurant has been negatively affected in recent years because students are choosing to stay on campus for food more often than in the past.

Some students will mourn the loss of College Park's longest-standing pizza place – Ratsie's has been in existence since 1984. Sophomore Emily Quinn heard all about Ratsie's from her two older sisters, both UMD grads, before she even decided to attend. For students like Quinn, Ratsie's means more than just greasy pizza, it means irreplaceable memories and years of loyalty.

“Ratsie's was their main spot," Quinn said. “My middle sister loved it so much that after her wedding at UMD, we after-partied at Cornerstone and then got Ratsie's, all while she was still in her wedding dress."

Not all students are disheartened by the loss of Ratsie's. Some are excited for Nando's Peri-Peri, which is a Portuguese chicken restaurant. It will take over the building that currently houses Ratsie's, Yogiberry and David's Shoe Repair.

“I'm glad we're not having yet another pizza place put on Route 1," sophomore Chrissy Strangie said. “Nando's sounds so good and I'm excited to have a different option."

Although Ratsie's closing is sure to upset some of its longtime fans, both students and Johns-Falamoun agree that Nando's Peri-Peri will make for a promising replacement.

“I wish them all the best," Johns-Falamoun said. “Nando's is going to be a nice change, and I hope [students] support them as much as they have been supporting us."