Cape Coral's beloved Paesano's Italian Fresh Market permanently closes after Ian

Samantha Neely, Fort Myers News-Press
·2 min read
4

An Italian staple in Southwest Florida will not be returning.

After serving the Cape Coral community since 1986, Paesano's Italian Fresh Market confirmed they have permanently closed after Hurricane Ian hit their business.

According to their Facebook page earlier this month, the owners have decided to retire after losing a lot from Hurricane Ian after the Category 4 storm damaged their building.

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"We are going to retire. We lost a lot from the Storm and we are getting up in age … it's time to retire," the owners wrote in a comment.

Paesano's was known for having Southwest Florida's largest selection of fresh cut meats, specialty items, and Thumann's deli coldcuts. The market also featured "la trattoria al fresco," which is an outdoor patio where patrons could enjoy authentic Italian lunches and drinks.

Paesano's Fresh Italian Market announced earlier this month it has permanently closed following Hurricane Ian's destruction from Sept. 28.
Paesano's Fresh Italian Market announced earlier this month it has permanently closed following Hurricane Ian's destruction from Sept. 28.

Upon confirmation of Paesano's no longer returning to Lafayette Street, residents flooded their post with comments expressing sadness over the market not returning, as well as appreciation and well wishes for their next steps.

Paesano's owners thanked patrons online for checking in on them following Ian's hit on the region, further elaborating their tough decision to retire from their beloved community. The registered officers for Paesano Foods Inc. are Jerry and Rose Furio, with Jerry listed as the president.

"We decided to retire. We have been playing deli and butcher shop for 44 years, that's including Chicago … it looked like it was our way out, we've been thinking about retiring, so we decided we're up and we're getting up in age," the owners wrote on Facebook. "Before we get too old, we're already getting body parts replaced … better to retire. Thank you for thinking of us."

The News-Press was unable to get ahold of Paesano's owners to get a further comment.

Update to the story: This property was listed for sale in the summer of last year.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Iconic Cape Coral Italian market confirms closure due to Hurricane Ian