ST. PETER — Chris Person admitted it was a long time coming, but work is complete on KAVO Italian Eatery, which had a soft opening Friday and tonight and opens to the public Monday on Minnesota Avenue in St. Peter.
It takes time to do things right, he said, and while city departments and the Nicollet County Historical have been great to work with, those necessary conversations and extra efforts can be timely.
“We had a different flooring in there and they stated that we should, if we’re bringing it back to historical integrity, we should have a tile down,” said Tasha O’Hara, a partner in ATOM Hospitality about renovation work. While not required, the tile was found to be preferred and the colors in the design can be found as inspiration throughout the restaurant.
The historical society is involved because the building, which most recently housed a Godfather’s Pizza, was built in 1914 as the First National Bank and has a historical designation.
As with the Konsbruck Hotel, a historical boutique hotel just a few blocks from KAVO and part of the 3rd Street Tavern, owners wanted to retain that charm. And like Konsbruck, purchased in 2016, KAVO includes a five-room boutique hotel upstairs that is slated to open in 6-8 weeks, O’Hara said. They were able to save the original floors and woodwork in their renovation work. Both hotels are operated using an electronic reservation and check-in system. “We already have bookings set up for that,” she said. It will be the first use of the upstairs since before the tornado in 1998, they figure.
ATOM also operates Tav on the Ave, The Flask and Number Four in Mankato, Dino’s Pizzeria in North Mankato and 3rd Street Tavern in St. Peter. Person said they always liked the building and missed the Italian part of their business lost when their Neighbors restaurant burned. So they made an offer and it was accepted.
That’s when the work really began, Person and O’Hara said.
ATOM worked with the city for appropriate signage to capture the eye of the thousands of vehicles that pass the front door each day, and the state and local historical society for interior work.
Infrastructure was sound, Person said, and preserving the building’s interior integrity adjusted their plans, O’Hara added.
They’ve striven to build on the St. Peter legacy, with a few of their key employees being natives who are taking great pride in working there, they said. Countertops are from Cambria, and about 30 one-of-a-kind wooden tables were created locally, Person said.
“It was an incredible opportunity for all of us,” said Garrett Steinberg from Mankato Woodworks. Tables were created using a few thousand board feet of ash, and legs were fabricated and power coated by Mick Rykhus and Associated Finishing, he added.
Owning the building next door that was constructed in 1890 and was operated as a saddle shop allowed them to run much of the kitchen plumbing and wiring without damaging the bank building. It also houses their entry, a couple separate seating areas and the pizza ovens.
The private vault room in back is also a variation on the design theme. The actual vault there, and another in front, were brought up from downstairs, and renovated. The name KAVO is a shortened version of the Italian word that means “bank vault,” O’Hara said, so they needed to be placed prominently.
Wood-framed doors with the words “Private” and “Office” also are original from the building and nod a bit to the building’s origin, Person said.
The original cove ceiling was initially a single color, O’Hara said, but they chose to paint the centers a blue that is echoed in bench material up front. The bar, which was opened up with the removal of part of a brick wall between the buildings, is faced with green material that adds to the natural palette that includes soft browns on trim and the brick. Everything is bathed in natural light from windows in front and along West Nassau Street.
“Those are all brand new,” Person said of the side windows. “That was a big project, that was a big expense, but we’re so happy we went with that. … That also had to be approved.”
In keeping with the Italian culture’s emphasis on family, they created the separate seating areas, using varying table sizes and chair styles, while maintaining a united design sensibility. Larger tables and specific menu items also encourage family-style dining.
“We’re going to have a throwback to Neighbors, where you’re doing family style — you know, pasta, pizza, salad — like a family dinner,” O’Hara said.
“That’ll actually come in a Neighbors bowl,” Person added.
Some of their food has as its origins recipes created by Person’s late brother, Pat, who created them with the chef at Neighbors. O’Hara calls ATOM’s culinary director of the last year and a half, Charles Plaetz, the mastermind behind menu design and implementation.
They’ve created some different fare for KAVO, though some came over from Dino’s, including head chef Paxton Morin. With two or three weeks of intensive training, staff from throughout ATOM will be able to step in and help as needed.
Also on the menu will be homemade pastas, dry pastas, entrees like steak and different types of fish, O’Hara said. The goal is to offer something St. Peter doesn’t already have.
It all begins with the large, colorful mural on the north wall of the smaller building that will get customers in the Italian mood.“That is from the Amalfi coast,” Person said. “All of my kids can tell you where, which hotel they stayed in there. And Tasha is going to stay in one soon.” Likely not until this project is completed, up and running.
Dining and Cooking