Each day hundreds of drivers go past the Nanuet Mall wondering about its progress. The first leg of it is about done and will open Friday: Banchetto Feast
The Nanuet Mall will become the Shops at Nanuet by the holiday season of 2013. When it closed on Feb. 1, Banchetto Feast Owners Eddie Almeida and David A. Alvarez sadly took one last look at what they called home for so long.
They weren't closing for good though. The new design of the Shops at Nanuet moves Banchetto Feast to a standalone building. It will now sit on the edge of the property that borders Middletown Road across from the Stop and Shop.
“This will be our permanent location,” said Alvarez. “It’s a small window of what’s to come for the Shops at Nanuet.”
He added that the exterior design was decided by the landlord, Simon Property.
“They wanted the exterior to reflect the Shops at Nanuet,” said Alvarez. “For the interior, we wanted to bring back the spirit of the previous location.” The recognizable iron doors from the old Banchetto Feast located within the mall were kept and reused to frame the wall behind the hostess stand.
During the 7-month wait, customers were redirected to the other Banchetto location—301 Center Ave, Westwood, NJ—which is only seven miles away.
A few weeks ago, they started their hiring process and now Almeida, Alvarez and their staff have been rushing around to get everything in order for Friday's opening, from wall decor to tablecloths.
"The reopening of Banchetto Feast is a symbol of perseverance and hard work. We suffered through the downturn of the Nanuet Mall for three years," said Alvarez. "We persevered by working closely with our employees and community.”
They're proud of their new bar, which features more than 100 premium liquors and 50 premium wines.
“We’ll work hard to provide freshly prepared Italian meals and great wines and drinks to our community,” added Alvarez. Just a few days ago, they were dishing out their meatballs at the 17th Annual Taste of Rockland.
Store Hours:
11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Every Day
