Mangia Pasta is closed(?)(!)
According to Elise Michael’s blog entry today:
And, thinking I should call to make reservations first, I find out THEY’RE CLOSED. Like, FOR GOOD.
And in the comments, Jen points to this Bulletin article:
Give last rites to Mangia! Pasta!, the popular Italian cafe in The Forum shopping center off Northeast 27th Street. It closed Jan. 17. A popular place for families with children, it had cut out its lunch schedule in recent months and was only serving dinners. Co-owner Erika Hemingway said the driving force behind the closure was the increasingly high cost of the space.
News to me.
Sad news. They had awesome food, and stellar service. That’s a huge problem for many restaurants that rent their location, though. If you can’t control the cost of the rent it will eventually close your doors. Imagine how frustrating it must be to put all of that time and money into painting, equipment, decor, dishware, etc. only to have to close because your landlord keeps raising the rent.
Sad indeed. The rising costs of retail and restaurant spaces is increasingly forcing out the local companies. Few "small" business owners can pay square foot costs that reach between $2.50 and $3.00 per square foot per month in the hot spots. Who can afford it? Chains. Trying to shop local gets harder when local shops (and restaurants) are increasingly priced out of their home-town market.