//
you're reading...

Cornelius News

Eat this Up — That’s amore: Mama’s Pizza lovers take note

Frank Manis: Cornelius restaurant entrepreneur opening up in Mooresville

Cornelius restaurant entrepreneur Frank Manis is buying Giovanni’s Pizza on Hwy. 150 in Mooresville. The owner of Mama’s Pizza in Cornelius and Huntersville is aiming for a January grand opening up at Exit 36. Meanwhile, Manis’ new building on South Main Street, not far from Fire Station No. 1, has been delayed a few months.

“I am still waiting for more information from the State DOT on their plans for widening Hwy. 115, and we’re also working on the precise location for the front entrance, as well as a possible fence around the parking lot,” said Manis.

He plans to erect a good-looking, 5,250-square-foot structure on the ​land behind the current restaurant, which will eventually be demolished.​

The current building has only 1,652 square feet of heated space, according to Mecklenburg County tax records, and 2,291 square feet overall.

The new facility will include an outdoor seating area, as well as 2,000 square feet for an additional tenant.

Manis said he hopes to have a shovel in the ground later this spring and now aims to close during the 2018 holiday season, rather than the summer as originally planned, to transfer everything over to the new building.

The timetable for the transfer is dependent upon school being out, as Manis supplies local schools. “One way or the other we’ll make it work,” he said.

Hey sailor

Amidst an astounding amount of media hubbub, Hello Sailor has opened in the old Rusty Rudder. For the time being, the restaurant will only be open for dinner, but there’s no doubt there will be plenty of hype from Charlotte media outlets, not to mention national ones.

Here’s why: one of the nation’s top travel and hospitality marketing agencies promotes both Hello Sailor and its mother ship, Kindred in Davidson. Wagstaff Worldwide handles the media for Kindred in Davidson, which launched with a buzz unseen in Lake Norman if not Charlotte. Wagstaff works with companies and personalities in the hospitality business including hotel chains, cruise lines and even countries.

Notable clients include Promote Iceland, VisitDenmark and the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau, as well as hotels like the Mayfair in Los Angeles, which hosted the after party for the 1929 Academy Awards. Other Wagstaff clients include Anchor Distilling in San Francisco and Kikori, a Japanese rice whiskey you might have read about recently.

Hey buckaroo

The “now hiring” sign is up at Joe Douglas’ soon-to-open Cowboy Restaurant, located at the northeast corner of Highway 21 and Bailey Road. Douglas says he will be hiring between 50 and 60 people to staff the eatery. “It will be a new crew/staff, but the same culture as we have at 131 Main. Our leadership team is the 131 Main management.”

When it will be opening? “We’re trying to open in January” Douglas said, “but not before we are 100% ready!”

Eat This Up is our new column about food-related news in and around Cornelius. If you have news, send it to CorneliusToday@gmail.com. A word about our editorial policy around food and entertainment: Because we value your trust we do not accept comps from anyone in the trade.