Irene, Construction, And Zoning Laws Cause Mystic's Pronto! To Close

Tropical Storm Irene is not fully to blame, but she certainly didn’t help matters. The storm cost Mystic’s , some $5,000 in spoiled food and was the proverbial straw that led the owners of the Italian gourmet take-out shop to shut its doors.

“It was a triple whammy,” said Marshall Chiaraluce. He, his son Marshall, known as “Mac,” and his wife, who did the cooking, owned and ran the restaurant.

“The streetscape and bridge, the zoning thing and then Irene,” Chiaraluce said. His son laid additional blame on a perfect economic storm—“Pfizer and EB [layoffs], the recession, super high gas [prices] and no jobs.”  

“When we first opened in Wequetequock [on Stonington Road] we were doing really well but I noticed it started to change when gas prices starting shooting up and it’s just gotten harder and harder since,” Mac said.

But Chiaraluce said it was the “zoning thing” that helped to push the business over the edge.

The first public indication that the restaurant was struggling came to light last December. At the time, Chiaraluce and his son attended a Planning and Zoning Commission hearing to make their case for why the town should expand its signage regulations to include sandwich board signs. Chiaraluce explained that type of signage would let people know “we’re here.”  

“Places have gone out of business on both sides of me,” Chiaraluce said. “We don’t want to be one of those casualties,” he told the commission.

He said many of his customers were hurting financially and the using the sandwich boards to advertise deasl would help.

Following that meeting, First Selectman Edward Haberek assured Chiaraluce that there would be a moratorium placed on sandwich board signage pending the final adoption of new town sign regulations.

So, Chiaraluce said, for “awhile we had the sign and it really helped. People could see it, see our specials and come in.”

But that didn’t last.

“As soon as the new rules were [adopted], that next week, the zoning people came and said, ‘take it down.,” Chiaraluce said. “They warned us that if we didn’t we’d get a cease and desist order and a $150 a day fine. We took it down. Can you believe that.”

And then came Irene.

“We lost so much when we lost power,” the senior Chiaraluce said. “About $5,200 worth of food we had to dump. That was it.”

Opened in 2007, Pronto! did have a customer base, as evidenced by the sign Chiaraluce posted: “Your patronage and many favorable comments regarding our food quality and customer service have been sincerely welcomed and appreciated.”

“We had a pretty nice following. I’m going to miss them,” Mac said.

And at least one customer may miss them more, according to an email Mac received.

“Subject: Doors Locked Shades Drawn Closed: Hi Buddy, I was devastated to see you closed you doors. I thought you had the best food going in this area since I can remember. Now what do I do? This is worse than my last divorce. Please reconsider! Thanks, Mister Chicken Cordon Blue.”

“That’s the part that is the worst…letting down [customers],” he said.

Chiaraluce’s sign also explains how gift certificates can be redeemed by mail for full face value until October 15.

And while the restaurant/take out location is now closed, Chiaraluce has not completely shuttered the business. They are still accepting full catering and party tray orders that will “be delivered right to your door.”

For more information on catering, call 860-235-8510.