“The Original” Antonio’s, an Italian restaurant in downtown Ansonia, closed abruptly Friday.
(UPDATE:
Chris Setaro commented on ValleyIndy.org …
“We apologize about any confusion about the gift cards. We will honor them at the Southbury or Beacon Falls locations.”)
Prospective customers were greeted by “OUT OF BUSINESS” signs posted on the eatery’s doors.
The man who ran the business, Antonio Setaro, says that he was surprised, too.
“I showed up Friday to open and the doors were padlocked,” Setaro said Monday.
Setaro said the restaurant’s landlord had locked the doors and sent him a text message saying the business’ lease had been terminated.
About 25 people worked there, he said.
The business’ landlord, Jerry Nocerino, said Monday that he was forced to close the business as a last resort because it was in debt and owed several months worth of rent.
“I probably should have acted a long time ago but I didn’t want to do it,” Nocerino said.
Antonio’s two other locations — in Beacon Falls and Southbury — remain open, Setaro said.
The Ansonia location began in 2009 in a joint venture between Setaro’s brother, Chris, and Nocerino, a Woodbridge developer who owns several commercial properties throughout the Valley.
Chris Setaro ran the restaurant for five years until taking over the Antonio’s location in Southbury, Antonio Setaro said Monday.
He said he and Nocerino had been trying to negotiate a new rent for the space.
Setaro said customer traffic there had been improving.
“Now that the weather was nicer business was starting to pick up,” he said. “I’m just in shock right now.”
He said he was consulting a lawyer to see if there were any options to keep the restaurant at its current location at the corner of Main and Bridge streets.
Failing that, he said they’ll look for a new spot.
“We are looking right now,” he said. “There’s a couple of options in town.”
Setaro said he just wishes he had been given a heads-up about the move.
“For me I don’t care, it’s the people that work for me that I care about,” he said. “You want to throw me out, that’s fine. Just give me a couple days (notice).”
Landlord Responds
Nocerino disagreed with Setaro’s characterization.
“They had plenty of notice,” he said.
The landlord said that he had given the restaurant breaks on rent for months in an effort to keep it afloat.
But he said he finally decided to cut his losses.
“They can say whatever they want, but the bottom line is they’re out because legally, I had the right to lock them out because the business is losing a ton of money,” Nocerino said.
The developer has been responsible for a flurry of recent activity at two highly visible Valley spots — the former Valley Bowl on Derby’s Pershing Drive and the north end of Ansonia’s Main Street.
In Ansonia, Nocerino and a business partner are redeveloping a block of buildings into apartments and retail. They’re also in talks with the city over a possible $9 million development at two city-owned eyesores across the street.
Mayor David Cassetti said the restaurant business is a tough business, repeating sentiments often shared by Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti, who owned a restaurant for about 20 years.
“It’s very tough,” Cassetti said. “Mark Lauretti said it, the toughest business to have is a restaurant business.”
He said he is confident Nocerino will find another business to fill the spot.
“Jerry’s got somebody in mind to take it over. It’s just a matter of time. It’s in his best interests,” Cassetti said.
