Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana, an Old Pasadena fine-dining institution beloved for its pasta dishes and pizza, will close on Sunday, Jan. 14, impacting dozens of workers and surprising longtime customers who patronized the eatery.
The brick building with its black and white awnings and outdoor patio was the gathering point for family celebrations such as weddings, birthdays and anniversaries. Business people met there for lunch. But longtime customers say the hardest farewell will be to the dozens of staff members, who have been with the upscale restaurant for most of its 30 years in Pasadena.
Film editor and producer Luis Colina of Pasadena said the closure stunned regulars of the upscale restaurant, which first opened its doors in 1993.
“(We) had our rehearsal dinner there before our wedding in 2011,” Colina said, reflecting back to her wedding. “The staff is the best, most professional and caring everywhere. This place is a Pasadena institution and it’s very sad and upsetting to me to see it closing so suddenly.”
Superlative service from staff kept him coming back, Colina said. He is sad those who provided that service now find themselves out of work after many dedicated and loyal years.
Ted Laymon, president of Il Fornaio, said it was difficult to shutter one of its 19 California locations after 30 years of building community with guests and employees.
“We have decades of amazing memories there,” Laymon said of the thriving Pasadena site. “We tried our best to extend our lease at our current location, but with One Colorado choosing to move in a different direction, we are not able to stay.”
Laymon said despite the pandemic, and more people working from home and less from an office, customer traffic was not a factor in the closing. He said the business has done well post-pandemic.
In a statement, ShopCore Properties, which leases and manages One Colorado, said Il Fornaio has been an integral part of the open-air shopping…
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