Gaetano’s indoor gazebo is no more

WALLINGFORD — What started as a quirky way to break up empty event space at Gaetano’s Tavern on Main nearly two decades ago grew into a beloved tradition.

But all good things must come to an end, and so it was for the gazebo at the North Main Street restaurant.

The full-scale indoor gazebo, which was used to host private parties, met its demise recently. The restaurant’s landlord told the two sisters who own Gaetano’s that the 1,000 square feet of space that housed the gazebo was being taken over to accommodate another tenant, according to the sisters.

“It was very emotional for us,” Debbie Pacileo, one of the owners, said of the final night the event space was open. “... We’ve had a few people get married there and do other types of life events.”

The following day, contractors began building a wall that will separate the restaurant from what will become a new part of Calcagni Real Estate’s Wallingford office.

Antonio Liguori, president of Cheshire-based Calcagni, said the real estate firm’s Wallingford office is currently at 924 N. Main St. Ext.. Calcagni’s office will relocate to the new office, which is at 36-40 N. Main St., in a few months.

“We like to have out offices in a downtown area, where there is a lot of activity,” Liguori said.

The new Calcagni office will be spread over two floors in the building, he said. Liguori said that he thinks the new space will be beneficial for both his business and Gaetano’s.

“I think it will increase foot traffic for both,” he said.

J.C. Coleman is a consultant to the owners of Guilford-based landlord

Barnes Homestead. He said Friday that creating first-floor space for Calcagni was the culmination of a yearlong negotiation between the landlord, Calcagni and Gaetano’s owners.

“They (Gaetano’s) already had a lease, so there was a lot of give and take,” Coleman said. “But in the end, everybody got some of what they wanted. And we got another strong tenant with a long-term lease.”

The building was built in 1908, he said. The landlord is having new flooring and climate controls installed at Gaetano’s, according to Coleman.

The Secretary of the State’s office lists John L. Williams and Stephanie Steifel Williams as principals of Barnes Homestead. Town records show

Barnes Homestead bought the property in December 2019.

“The building was purchased with a view toward updating it,” Coleman said. “We think that Wallingford is a real jewel.”

When Pacileo and her sister Cheryl Milot opened the restaurant 18 years ago, the room they had in the back “was so large, it was just this one big, empty space.”

“I thought of doing an outdoor theme and when we put the gazebo in there, it caught on,” Pacileo said.

Milot said she and her sister “put a lot of time, money and effort” into creating the gazebo area.

“It worked so well,” Milot said. “It added charm to our dining room.”

When Pacileo posted on Facebook that the gazebo was coming down, the message attracted more than 100 supportive comments over two days.

Kathleen D’Urso said the gazebo space was where her baby shower was held.

“They did such a beautiful job,” D’Urso said. “It was perfect.”

The elimination of the gazebo space leaves Pacileo and Milot about 4,400 square feet of space to work with. Milot said the landlord also reduced Gaetano’s monthly rent.

The two sisters are trying to remain positive about the change and the restaurant’s future.

The sisters did got some good news, in the form of two grants totaling $30,000.

A $20,000 grant came from Bartstool Sports, a New York City-based digital media company that produces content focused on sports and pop culture. The company and its founder, Dave Portnoy, have provided similar grants to other restaurants in Connecticut and elsewhere, including one other Wallingford restaurant, Laskara.

Gaetano’s also got a $10,000 grant from the state, Milot said. While the grants help secure the restaurant’s immediate future, Milot said she is wistful for all the good times that the gazebo brought to the restaurant.

“It won’t be the same without it,” Milot said. “But hopefully things will work out for the best.”