After nearly a seven-month closure, Italian eatery, TraDiNoi is expected to reopen by the end of this month.
A December fire at neighboring gift store, the Malibu Colony Company, damaged a portion of the restaurant, causing it to shut down temporarily.
“We’re in the last stages of putting all the finishes together,” said co-owner and operator Antonio Alessi. “We’re just waiting for the city to give us the final approval and then we should be ready.”
According to Alessi, most of the restaurant’s interior and exterior is renovated, but the restaurant will retain its country-Italian dcor and charm.
“Basically, it’s all brand new and everything will be laid out pretty much the same,” said Alessi. “We’re trying to keep everything original and close to the way it was before.”
While the Malibu Colony Company reported 100 percent damage, TraDiNoi was not “totaled.” Only its roof and the wall shared with the gift store were called a total loss. There was also water damage to the restaurant floor, the air-conditioning system was damaged and it suffered smoke damage.
“We’re looking forward to having a brand new place,” said partner Claudio.
“Instead of having half-old, half-new, we decided to remodel and make it all new.”
The restaurant’s patio will have new tables, chairs and umbrellas so customers can eat lunch or dinner outdoors.
The Malibu Colony Company has been operating out of its annex store also located in the Country Mart Shopping Center.
“We basically moved as much as we could in here (the annex) from the main store but we’re hoping to get approval from the city any day,” said Hugh Kinsellagh, owner of the Malibu Colony Company.
Owners say TraDioNoi will have a “soft opening” upon approval from city health inspectors, but will host a grand opening shortly after the restaurant gets functioning once again.
“The kitchen, the bathroom and the roof are all new, but we have the same chef, the same food, and we hope to see many of the same faces after we open,” said Alessi.