One owner's health issues forced a sudden closure. After 40 years, the restaurant's owner plans to offer catering services.

Unforeseen circumstances have forced the owners of Gainesville staple Napolatano's to close the restaurant and bar after 40 years, and instead, use the space for catering and weddings.

Co-owner Ginger Nappy said Monday, due to sudden medical problems with her husband and co-owner, Dean, they made the decision to close the restaurant Dec. 22, the day before their annual weeklong closure between Christmas and New Year’s.

“Dean went from being healthy to having to take all these pills,” she said. “We could run a pharmacy out of our house right now. So it was pretty scary.

“So because I can’t depend on him at the restaurant because of his health, we figured it was the right time to make a change.”

She added: “This wasn’t a business decision. I thought, ‘What was more important? The restaurant or my husband’s health?’ And so far, so good.”

Nappy said she’s seen generous support from the community she and her husband have served for four decades, both in well wishes and the number of catering orders she’s received.

Private party and wedding reception bookings also are doing well, she said.

“I don’t know if people are making up parties or not, but I appreciate it,” she joked.

Nappy said her catering service offers most of the menu items the restaurant offered, including favorites like Napolatano's lasagna and other Italian dishes.

It also offers steak tips and rice, pork loin, chicken dishes and salads.

Nappy said she accepts orders for 20 to 25 people at minimum.

Despite the closing, Nappy hasn’t ruled out reopening the restaurant in the future but said she needs time to think about it. It all depends on her husband's health, she said.

“Dean hasn’t even had his one month check-up,” she said. “The only thing I can do is pray about it.”

However, the Napolatano's property is up for sale.



Todd Rainsberger of The Beery Rainsberger Group told The Sun Tuesday afternoon the Napolatano's 5,600-square-foot building, fixtures, kitchen equipment and two acres of property are on the market for $1.5 million. He said the property and its contents were all recently appraised.



Rainsberger said the only part of Napolatano's not for sale is its name.



It's unclear if the Nappys do sell whether they would offer catering out of another venue. Calls to Napolatano's late Tuesday went unanswered.

The Tower Road restaurant has been a local favorite for years.

When the Nappys announced Dec. 23 on Facebook the decision to close the restaurant to focus solely on private dining, many of its customers expressed their dismay.

“This just can't be true,” wrote commenter Chris Diuguid. “So much for living in Gainesville … The thought of living in Gainesville without Naps is irreconcilable with the truth. The final straw.”

Others said they’d miss Napolatano's karaoke nights and welcoming atmosphere.

Nappy said she and Dean would miss them, too.

“I’m going to miss everybody. We’ve made so many friends,” she said. “But like they say, ‘A healthy life is a simple life,’ and we’re simplifying it the best we know how.”