Riverwest dining and drinking staple Nessun Dorma will close for the winter, owner Emily Park Sutrick announced Saturday morning. As first reported by OnMilwaukee, Nessun Dorma’s winter hibernation will begin after brunch on November 1. The reason? COVID-19 and the inability of the city, state, and country to do anything about it, of course.
“Nessun Dorma will close its doors after brunch on Sunday November 1st after feeding our community for 20 years,” Park Sutrick wrote in a Facebook post. “We aren’t gone for good. If the grant money comes we will open back up again as soon as all PPE and training is in place. If the grant money doesn’t come, we will remain closed for the winter season until we can welcome all of you on to our patio again.”
Park Sutrick added: “With the change in the weather, no one wants to sit out on our patio in the cold to enjoy their carryout. With the government not adding extra money to unemployment and no agreement on another stimulus, no one has the means to ‘go out’ to eat. With other restaurants opening their doors, we have suffered gravely.”
Read our 2019 Mandatory Milwaukee feature on Nessun Dorma HERE. Read Park Sutrick’s full message below.
Hey everyone! Owner of Nessun Dorma here with an important message.
We have been extremely careful with our handling of the Covid pandemic. I am so proud of my entire staff. Not one single case of Covid has reached my staff. It is my job as owner to make all the decisions regarding how we continue to do business. I chose the safety of the people. The safety of my staff and our customers by remaining “carryout only” even when we were allowed to open our doors. In one way (the most important way to me) it really paid off. My staff is healthy. But unfortunately in another way, it hasn’t paid off.
With the change in the weather, no one wants to sit out on our patio in the cold to enjoy their carryout.
With the government not adding extra money to unemployment and no agreement on another stimulus, no one has the means to “go out” to eat.
With other restaurants opening their doors, we have suffered gravely.
I have applied for a grant that, if I am lucky enough to receive, will pay for all of the necessary PPE for us to open with total confidence that we will keep everyone who walks through our doors safe. But without that grant, we are out of time and money.
Nessun Dorma will close its doors after brunch on Sunday November 1st after feeding our community for 20 years. We aren’t gone for good. If the grant money comes we will open back up again as soon as all PPE and training is in place. If the grant money doesn’t come, we will remain closed for the winter season until we can welcome all of you on to our patio again.
I want to thank all of our customers for the love they have shown us these past 8 months. The out pour of support has been almost too much for my heart to handle. I want to thank my staff for putting up the good fight and constantly trying to think of new ways to bring in business. I have THE BEST employees. I really do. I want to thank Black Husky for helping me fight to keep the doors open. They are such great cheerleaders and friends. I want to thank Caitlin Cullen from Tandem for including us in chances to bring in some extra money through World Central Kitchen in the best way possible…helping those that need our help. Last but not least THANK YOU RIVERWEST. We LOVE our neighborhood and can’t wait to feed you again!!!!!!!!!!
Next weeks hours:
Monday and Tuesday CLOSED
Wednesday through Friday 5-9
Saturday 10-2 Brunch, 5-9 Dinner
Sunday 10-2 BrunchPlease keep and eye out for specials and deals for the last week we are open. ALSO, IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW IS HURTING DURING THESE TERRIBLE TIMES, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US. Message us. We will be planning the best way to help others with our remaining perishable stock.
Typing through tears is tough! Sorry for the long message, I had a lot to say.
Thank you everyone. Stay safe. See you soon.
Emily
