WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A restaurant with a rich history in the Triad is permanently closing its doors.
Owner and General Manager of Paul's Fine Italian Dining, Marcello Perello, said the coronavirus shutdown was the final straw.
"The coronavirus was just kind of the 'alright, it’s time to call it quits you know? We’ve already done everything we can.'"
But, Perello said there were many contributing factors.
"It kind of started about 10 years ago, my father had fallen and broken his hip."
The medical bills kept piling on for his late father, and founder of Paul's Fine Italian Dining.
"Then he was diagnosed with bone cancer."
Perello said the restaurant also never fully recovered from the 2008 recession. So, after 32 years in Winston-Salem, Perello said it was time to say goodbye.
"We opened up in '88, my father had worked in various restaurants around the world then moved down here and he really made a name for himself you know?"
Paul's was a staple in the community, known for its authentic Italian dishes. Paul was a native of Italy.
"It's very difficult, we knew this point was coming and you try to prepare mentally for it but in the moment it's hard, it's emotional."
Paul Perello died in 2015. Marcello said he wants to somehow keep his father's legacy going despite the restaurant's closure. He has no concrete plans at the moment but is optimistic about the future.
"My father, his priority was to take care of people when they walked into this restaurant, he wanted to make sure they felt like they’re at home," he explained fondly. "I just want to say thank you, sincerely from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has helped us."
Ronnie Reeves played the piano at the restaurant for 9 years.
The last song he played on Friday during the restaurant's auction was Dream a Little Dream, one of Perello's favorites.
"It hurts," Reeves said. "It's like your whole family being torn apart, that’s kind of what it feels like to me."