LOWELL, Mich. (WOOD) — A popular Italian restaurant on Grand Rapids’ West Side is expanding to Lowell.
Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen is opening a second location at 123 W. Main Street near the Flat River, owner Maria Cannizzo confirmed to News 8. That’s the former site of Easy Street Restaurant & Bar.
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With its existing restaurant on the busy Bridge Street NW in Grand Rapids, Cannizzo said Fratelli’s has been looking to expand into a smaller town. Then the owners stumbled across a Facebook Marketplace advertisement for the building in Lowell.
“I don’t know if you believe in fate or opportunity, but it was just an opportunity,” Cannizzo said.
The space is “beautiful” and can hold 150 people, she said. As a former restaurant, it’s also completely furnished and has most of the necessary equipment, like refrigerators, a walk-in cooler and a prep area. All it needs is a pizza oven.
“We’re doing very minimal work to it,” Cannizzo said. “Everything is set to go. Just have to add that pizza oven.”
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
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The restaurant’s Lowell menu will be very similar to its Grand Rapids menu, she said. The restaurant serves dishes like pesto cream gnocchi, cannoli, arancini and calamari. It also has “quite an extensive cocktail menu,” Cannizzo added, which she is planning to bring to Lowell.
A courtesy image from Fratelli’s Italian Kitchen. (Courtesy Maria Cannizzo)
“We won for one of the best espresso martinis in GR, so that’s kind of fun. Being Italian, you have to have your good espresso,” she told News 8. “So we’re hoping to bring a limoncello martini, some fun cocktails too.”
The new restaurant even includes a full stage, where Cannizzo envisions hosting live music, karaoke, comedians and other events. A local artist is painting a mural to decorate the space.
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The goal is to open the Lowell restaurant in August. So far, Cannizzo says the community has been excited about the idea.
“I think Lowell is kind of ready for some Italian, from what it sounds like,” she said. “We’re just excited by the excitement that we’ve received. … Sometimes when you’re a little unsure of something and then you get all the positivity, it just makes you feel like you’re more encouraged.”
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For now, Cannizzo is focusing on getting the space ready and hiring staff. Fratelli’s is holding a job fair Tuesday and Wednesday at its new spot in Lowell.
“When we open, we want to be more than ready,” Cannizzo said.
In all, she expects to hire around 30 people for the Lowell restaurant.
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Dining and Cooking