FOODIES have bid farewell to a 30-year-old Italian restaurant as it closes its doors forever after its lease expired.
Beloved Italian chain café D’Amico & Sons in Minnesota, shut down its last two restaurants in the state on Saturday.
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Popular Italian chain D’Amico & Sons closed its last two locations in MinnesotaCredit: Getty
The two spots closed after three decades of operation, marking the end of an eraCredit: Getty
Located in Edina and Golden Valley, the two spots closed after three decades of operation, marking the end of an era.
The closures come after D’Amico & Sons’ lease expired and the company decided not to renew it.
Now the company will turn its focus to its restaurants in Naples, Florida.
Company owners Richard and Larry D’Amico operate three established restaurant concepts there, including Campiello, The Club Room at Campiello, and The Continental.
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And despite the impending shutdowns, D’Amico will still have a presence in the Twin Cities.
The hospitality and catering arm of the company will continue, with Richard and Larry D’Amico’s longtime partner, Paul Smith, to lead D’Amico Hospitality in Minneapolis.
Smith will focus on expanding D’Amico Hospitality’s exclusive venues and special event services in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area.
D’Amico’s hospitality arm operates the largest portfolio of exclusive venues in the market, according to a press release.
D’Amico & Sons opened its first restaurant in Uptown, Minneapolis, in 1994, with the Italian restaurant group later growing to 12 spots across the Twin Cities and Naples, Florida.
The D’Amicos’ last fine-dining destination in the Twin Cities metro, Café Lurcat, shut down last year.
But the company is not alone, with a swathe of Italian chains waving goodbye to several locations.
Another beloved Italian chain restaurant and strip mall favorite, Noodles & Company, has confirmed it’s the end for at least 30 locations across the US.
The news was announced during an earnings call, as chiefs revealed the closures would help the company reach financial stability.
CEO Joe Christina emphasized the difficulty behind the closures, but outlined a long term plan.
They said: “Decisions like this are made thoughtfully and with a long-term view of the business.
“Our fourth quarter results reinforce that when we concentrate our resources on restaurants with the strongest opportunity to perform, Noodles can drive meaningful top-line growth.
“These actions are intended to strengthen the overall health of the brand and our financial position, helping to ensure we are well-positioned for profitable growth and long-term value creation for our shareholders.”
Meanwhile, foodies are saying goodbye to a Carrabba’s Italian Grill restaurant as Texas Roadhouse inches closer to replacing the shuttered chain diner.
The restaurant industry has struggled in the wake of the pandemic thanks to factors like high interest rates, rising labor and food costs, increasing competition, and the consumer shift toward eating at home.
The industry has experienced bankruptcies and hundreds of closures as a result.
Dining and Cooking