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Storied 90-year-old Italian restaurant is sold after owners couldn't find any family members to take over
A 90-year-old family-owned Italian restaurant has been sold after no more family members could be found to run it.
Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano in San Francisco has been sold after more than 50 years by the Crotti family.
One of the owners Carmen Crotti previously told San Francisco Gate that she and her co-owner relatives had hoped another member of the family would take it over but that it wasn't possible after choosing different career paths.
'This has been more than a business to us, as over the years our customers have become an integral part of our family,' the Crotti family said in a statement on Monday.
'Our reason for retirement is simple. We have been here for 51 years, getting older and the physical aspect of running a restaurant takes its toll,' Carmen told the Gate.
Tommaso's, previously called Lupo's, was first opened in 1935
'That been said, Tommasos has been our life, our customers have become family and we will miss it greatly.
'Also, we will be present until the end of the year to insure a smooth transition.'
The Crotti family will hand over the restaurant to the new owners in December.
Carmen stressed that very little will change under the new ownership, which plans to keep the restaurant’s menu and name.
The staff will also stay on after the restaurant changes hands, many of whom have worked at the restaurant for decades.
Tommaso's, previously called Lupo's, was opened in 1935 by the Cantalupo family, who immigrated to San Francisco from Naples, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
It is reported to have served food from the first wood-fire pizza oven on the West Coast.
The restaurant was sold in 1971 to chef Tommy Chin who changed the name to Tommaso's.
In 1973 the Crotti family bought the establishment, kept the name and have run the local favorite ever since.
Tommaso's was awarded Legacy Business status by the city in 2017.
The Crotti family will pass over ownership in December, after 51 years at the establishment
Across America, restaurants have increasingly been struggling this year. Faced with higher costs, they have put up menu prices - but that has led to a fall in customers.
Bigger chains like Applebee's, TGI Fridays and Boston Market have have all recently shuttered restaurants, as have smaller chains like BurgerFi.
Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May and also shuttered almost 100 restaurants. New owners were announced this week - as it emerged the debt-ridden chain owes $21 million for shrimp alone.
Chains have been worst hit in California where the minimum wage for fast food restaurants jumped to $20-an-hour from April 1.
In early June, Mexican chain Rubio's shut 48 locations in the state and also filed for bankruptcy.
Mom-and-pop operations much like Tommasos have also been shutting.
Earlier this month, for example, Fargo's Pit BBQ in Texas closed after more than two decades of serving brisket, ribs and other barbecue classics.
Last month, two classic Bay Area Italian restaurants closed on the same day.