GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – If you’ve stopped by Tony’s Brick Oven Pizzeria the last few days, you may have noticed the sign on the door that reads: “temporarily closed for renovations.”
While what’s known as Tony’s will be revamped, the restaurant is expanding into the building next door, which was formerly known as Sea Grapes Wine Cafe, providing a wider dining area and a more exclusive experience.
“We want to open up that space to be a more adult area. Some more fine dining in the evenings. More quiet, candlelight, full bar and full liquor once we get our licenses,” co-owner Frank Lombardi Benson said.
The rest of the restaurant is receiving fresh paint, new light fixtures, roofing and more.
It’s a way to give the restaurant a fresh feel, but the owners say it’s important to still embody what the restaurant stands for.
“We want to keep Mr. Tony’s legacy in here,” co-owner Danny Caldwell said. “We don’t want to change anything. It’s been a staple in this community forever. The renovations going up are just making it more modernized. It’ll make things quicker, more efficient, easier and things like that.”
Benson and Caldwell say they are optimistic to open back up by July 1, and they say Mr. Tony will still be a part of the restaurant.
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