There’s still no date yet, but there are increasingly clear—and tasty—signs that The Italian Store is getting ever closer to opening its doors in Westover.
Those lucky enough to be walking past the shop on Thursday were surprised to see manager Mike Tramonte and his staff bringing out a few free pizzas for the taking. The restaurant was testing out its new ovens to make sure the temperatures and calibrations were working correctly.
Based on the crispy crust and gooey cheese this reporter tried, it seems the ovens are working beautifully.
Sadly, Westover isn’t likely to see more of those tantalizing pies for a few more weeks. Tramonte says they need to finish stocking the store—an outpost of their original location on Lee Highway—and start ordering perishable foods.
When asked by folks on the street for an opening date, his response was “sometime in May.”
“May’s tomorrow!” one woman said.
“Late May!” he responded.
Late May. Can we last that long?