Trattoria Gemelli, the Brookfield restaurant which celebrated its fourth anniversary on Oct. 1, will be closing its doors by the end of the month. Restaurateur Sal Sciortino confirmed last week that the restaurant would serve its last customers on Oct. 30.
Sciortino isn’t leaving the dining scene, however. He’ll be opening a new Italian restaurant by mid-November at 7308 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park, formerly home to Claudio’s Pastry Co.
“It’s sad to leave,” Sciortino said. “I’ve been here four years and I have a lot of emotional attachment to it because it’s my first place. But you have to move on.”
The reason for his departure, Sciortino said, was a demand that he pay $3,500 a month for the 1,200-square-foot restaurant at 3755 Grand Blvd. His new space will cost him $3,000 a month and give him triple the space, Sciortino said.
For the past year, Sciortino said he’s been paying $2,750 per month for the Gemelli space.
“Business is not what it used to be, but it’s not bad by any means,” Sciortino said. “But it’s just ridiculous what they want for rent. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Sciortino’s landlord is his uncle, Vince Fucarino. It was Fucarino who gave his nephew his first shot to run a restaurant on his own. Prior to opening Trattoria Gemelli, Sciortino worked in his parents’ restaurant of the same name in northwest suburban Addison.
He moved into the Grand Boulevard space shortly after the sudden closure of Luna Café, over a rent dispute. The former Luna Café owner described his business relationship with his landlords as “one year of indifference and three years of animosity.”
In 2008, Sciortino joined a partnership to open an Italian deli/catering business, Toscanino, at 3740 Grand Blvd. The business was delayed months in opening due to construction issues and closed within a couple of months.
Expanding his catering operation was the real reason for Toscanino, Sciortino said. In his new Elmwood Park kitchen, he’ll have plenty of room to handle both restaurant customers and the catering operation.
According to Fucarino, it was Sciortino’s decision to leave Brookfield and that he is in the process of helping his daughter, Chiara, open a new Italian restaurant in the Gemelli space some time in December.
“It’ll be an Italian restaurant similar to what’s there,” Vince Fucarino said, adding it will be more casual and affordable than Trattoria Gemelli.
According to Fucarino, his daughter does not have any restaurant management experience, although she has worked in restaurants in the past. The restaurant has lined up a Sicilian chef to do the cooking, Fucarino said.
“It’s going to be an adventure for her,” Fucarino said.