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Bellacino’s Closes Its Doors For Good [Comings & Goings]

21 October 2008 | 1:00 pm
Author: Christy Frink

After a rough year, Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders on Whitebridge Road closed up shop for good on Monday, leaving this sign up on the door:

Due to the unprecedented rise in expenses within the last year like food, labor, and most other expenses coupled with struggling sales, we are forced to close our doors.

Bellacino’s of Whitebridge Road would like to sincerely thank the Nashville community for all of your support and prayers over the last year and in general for your patronage over the past 8 years.

Bellacino’s manager Chris Caris, 33, and employee Joshua Cole, 18, were shot and killed execution-style during a botched robbery in October of last year. Though the murders caused an outpouring of support from the community, the business never really recovered. The fun atmosphere and famous grinders will be sorely missed around here.

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6 Comments

Posted in Food & Drink, News | Tagged , ,
  • http://thinktrain.net Rob

    Agreed. That is sad news.

    Honestly, though I've supported Bellacino's a few times this year, I'm surprised that it didn't close following the murders. What terrible crimes. The victims' families still have my sympathies.

  • http://nashvillest.com Christy Frink

    Yeah, I work right above them and have really enjoyed the food and all the employees there. Though it's not a surprise, they never indicated that they were planning on closing down. Just walked down there yesterday and the sign was up. Makes me wonder what's in store for Roma in Green Hills.

  • http://thinktrain.net Rob Robinson

    I didn't realize you were so close to Bellacino's. I'd be in trouble for lunches if I worked that close … until now. Did you work next door when the shootings took place? If so, that must have been especially odd.

    The candlelight tribute that stayed up for weeks after the crime was haunting. I have seen other restaurants shut down following this kind of thing, so I was surprised to see Bellacino's stick it out (though I didn't oppose the idea). You make a good point about Roma, too.

  • http://nashvillest.com Christy Frink

    Yep, my office just moved into the space right above Blockbuster a few weeks ago, so I wasn't around for the shootings. I remember reading about it when it happened, though, and I was also surprised when they reopened. They still had some of the pieces of the memorial framed inside the restaurant and it was just kind of eerie.

  • http://thinktrain.net Rob Robinson

    I didn't realize you were so close to Bellacino's. I'd be in trouble for lunches if I worked that close … until now. Did you work next door when the shootings took place? If so, that must have been especially odd.

    The candlelight tribute that stayed up for weeks after the crime was haunting. I have seen other restaurants shut down following this kind of thing, so I was surprised to see Bellacino's stick it out (though I didn't oppose the idea). You make a good point about Roma, too.

  • http://nashvillest.com Christy Frink

    Yep, my office just moved into the space right above Blockbuster a few weeks ago, so I wasn't around for the shootings. I remember reading about it when it happened, though, and I was also surprised when they reopened. They still had some of the pieces of the memorial framed inside the restaurant and it was just kind of eerie.