The big news of the day Friday is on A-3 as Sam Pontillo tells Daily News reporter Joanne Beck that the Main Street Batavia Pontillo's pizzeria is unlikely to reopen soon.
The Daily News originally reported that the restaurant was shut down for renovations before The Batavian reported that the reason was $112,000 in back taxes. Pontillo talked with Beck a couple of days later and revealed a messy situation with the family, causing the restaurant to close because of the tax situation.
Originally Pontillo said that the pizzeria would reopen in a couple of weeks, but now says it is not going to happen because he feels that when he obtains the business from the family estate that there will be a lot of work that will actually have to be done before he can open the doors.
"I'm wondering, 'should I tear the building down and build a new one?'," Pontillo told Beck on Wednesday. "I need to decide that before I put some big money into the (current) building. I want to take the proper course of action. I'm still up in the air, I'm trying to get the estate settled, I'm working the numbers. No one wants to put money into a property they don't own."
Pontillo also says he has had preliminary talks with an architect to redesign the restaurant and has no intentions on keeping Pontillo's closed. He did tell Beck that if a "a big-monied drug store came along and made a generous offer to buy, he would consider it."
The Le Roy branch of Pontillo's is still open and the Batavia site has a sign saying Pontillo's is open for delivery.
The Batavian called the number on the sign (343-3303) at about 1:15 p.m. Friday and spoke with a woman named Maddy, who says that orders can be placed and will be delivered from the Le Roy restaurant to Batavia on Thursday through Sunday nights after 4 p.m. She says the full menu is available.
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Daily News reporter Tom Rivers handled the yearly Black Friday story and spoke with some shoppers that got up early to bargain hunt at Wal-Mart and Target.
Even with the current state of the economy, the stores were packed this morning. Rivers writes "The line (at Target) stretched for at least 500 people, extending to Bed Bath & Beyond.
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An inmate at the Genesee County Jail has been charged for a seven-year-old burglary in Le Roy, thanks to a DNA link writes reporter Scott DeSmit.
Genesee County sheriff investigator Timothy Weis tells DeSmit that 24-year-old Nick A. Hawkins was charged Tuesday with third-degree burglary for a Dec. 28, 2001 robbery at Frost Ridge Campground in Le Roy.
DNA submitted by Hawkins because he was a convicted felon matched blood taken from the crime scene, according to Weis.
Hawkins is the second person charged in the crime as Christopher D. Nolan was arrensted and charged in July 2002. He received five years probation and had to pay restitution.
As always, we encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.
well there has to be more to
well there has to be more to it like there always is. why wouldn't you stay open keep the money rolling in so you could pay the tax owed. plus there will be something to split up in the end not just a bill for the taxes. So all the people that did work there are now what looking for a job right before X-mass thats nice i see how they care about the people that did work for them. Dont sound like a family place to me!!!!!!
Excellent point Roger! The
Excellent point Roger! The truth of the matter is that of the 40 or so employees a handful of them were actually given a job at the Leroy restaurant. Though the hours were not what they use to get in Batavia. However an argument can be made that this is just a move for Sam to make more profits that do not need to be split with his brothers because the Leroy business has had an increase in business especially from the deliveries to Batavia from Leroy.
I definitely think someone needs to speak up about all the employees who lost a job and and now are having a hard time finding one especially in this tough economic time. I also would love to know the name of the "architect" that was talked to. In my opinion that last Daily News article was B.S. but hey it's just my opinion. I mean we were told the restaurant would be reopened with renovations in two weeks and that did not happen.
Give me a break. Pontillo's
Give me a break. Pontillo's will come out of it smelling like a rose regardless of family infighting. I can think of a dozen other places in town that have way better food. The only bad part of this is that hardworking people who are underpaid are out of work at a really tough time. Those are the people that deserve a story and a headline.