Anselmo's Pizzeria Crashes and Burns
What a disaster. Nine months after opening, Anselmo’s Pizzeria at 354 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook has closed, a victim, apparently, of a nasty business relationship between the restaurant’s owner and the landlords. We don’t want to repeat the specific allegations here (you can read it for yourself on Anselmo’s home page), but the…
What a disaster. Nine months after opening, Anselmo’s Pizzeria at 354 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook has closed, a victim, apparently, of a nasty business relationship between the restaurant’s owner and the landlords. We don’t want to repeat the specific allegations here (you can read it for yourself on Anselmo’s home page), but the owner claims that he spent $260,000 building out the restaurant without ever getting a lease. “I have made mistakes in life and i have paid for it,” he writes, “but my biggest mistake was trusting this landlady.” Whoa.
Photo by Eating In Translation GMAP
What’s with their Michelin posting on their website? They had a copied paper with the Michelin guide on their door as well. Michelin never gave them mention. That in itself might tell you something is off with the owner. If you ask me these guys had a few screws loose. Their business was suffering from over priced pizza that wasn’t THAT awesome. It is unfortunate to hear a story of failure, but if they were doing GREAT business they would have stayed. Sad none the less…
I agree with Cobble. Has to be more to the story. $265k is a lot of money to put into that small space, especially with no lease??
the pizza was delicious and the neighborhood will miss this place
thanks JonB- I’ll take a look when i get a moment.
I meant old school not little school.
bxgrl,
she’s probably not on ‘stoner. also, there is no way they put $265K into renovating that space without filing a single permit. Check out 354 Van Brunt on DOB’s website. I bet she bounced for illegal construction work.
I’m thinking they’ll both be telling their side of the story….in court!
I wonder if she’ll tell her side of the story, JonB?
bxgrl,
I know the landlady and while she’s a little school, I don’t she would kick out a decent tenant without reason. I still think there was something going on there that wasn’t quite on the up and up.
@JonB:
Truer words never spoken. Don’t know the circumstances about this place, but Red Hook “entrepreneurs” do seem to think that opening their business is an act of consecration that absolves them of financial obligations.