WATERVILLE — An Italian restaurant and market that was part of a push this summer to open up The Concourse to outdoor dining has closed a little after one year in business.

The management of Itali-ah Restaurant & Market at 74 Main St. announced the closure Saturday in a Facebook post. The restaurant was not open during its regular business hours Saturday.

“To our valued customers, dear friends, and all who passed through the doors of Itali-ah Restaurant & Market over the past year and a half; it is with profound sorrow that we regret to announce the permanent closing of the restaurant and market, at least as we have all known it in its current iteration,” the post said. “Your support of our wonderful staff has been greatly appreciated, as was your patronage of our locale.”

The post goes on to say the restaurant may reopen with a different concept in the same location, depending on whether the right partners can be found.

“Our pizza oven and gelato will likely be part of a revamped restaurant, since they were our most popular items, but we will be looking at a variety of new possibilities,” the post said. “We may eventually run one of our famous contests to solicit customer input; but for now, we are taking some much needed time off.”

Itali-ah is owned by Jennifer Bergeron and opened in August 2017, replacing the former Napoli Italian Market, which was a partnership of Mayor Nick Isgro and Candace Savinelli, the owner of the Holy Cannoli bakery and deli next door.

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Before that, 74 Main St. was home for six years to Barrels Community Market, a food co-operative started as a project of the former downtown economic development group Waterville Main Street.

Bergeron declined to be interviewed Saturday but said in a statement, “We love and support the Waterville downtown. I have nothing but great things to say about this community and our loyal patrons. While we take some time off to consider our options, we hope to find someone like-minded, who sees the value and potential in this revitalizing area, to join us in a reboot of the space.”

Over the summer, Bergeron and Kevin Joseph, owner of You Know Whose pub, successfully lobbied City Council to open up the Main Street side of The Concourse for outdoor dining and close the area to traffic.

The pair said they wanted outdoor dining permits to do something nice in The Concourse and get people outside and engaged.

“That back side of Main Street – it feels forgotten, like nobody really pays attention to those back entrances to make it welcoming and friendly,” Bergeron said at the time.

 


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