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    SPAGIO Closes After Nearly 40 Years

    Editor’s Note: This article was updated at 5 p.m. on August 25 with a statement from SPAGIO.

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    On Tuesday, August 25, SPAGIO issued a statement addressing its now confirmed permanent closure. The statement in full reads:

    After nearly 40 years in business in Central Ohio, SPAGIO restaurant has announced it will be closing permanently. The restaurant, which closed in mid-March as part of the health mandate related to COVID-19 issued by the State of Ohio, has not reopened since that time.

    After much consideration, we have been unable to figure out a way for the restaurant to operate successfully during the current health crisis. The operating challenges presented by the current seating restrictions along with limitations based on the restaurant floorplan and the open bar area really limited the sales potential for the business. Additionally, the required social distance spacing really limited the outdoor patio seating at a time when customers are increasingly looking for outdoor seating alternatives.

    SPAGIO has been a fixture of the dining scene for such a long time and we are very sad that we are not able to reopen and continue operations. To not reopen the restaurant was a very tough decision. Our thanks go out to the customers who enjoyed and supported the restaurant for many years.

    It appears to be the end for Grandview’s SPAGIO, 1295 Grandview Ave. Four online auctions list the restaurant’s assets for sale, from kitchen equipment and food items to light fixtures and furniture.

    The restaurant’s Facebook page makes no mention of the closure, with the last post being an update to SPAGIO’s business hours as ‘temporarily closed’ on May 27. The restaurant’s website appears to be removed as well.

    A Grandview institution, SPAGIO opened its doors in 1981. In September 2019, Chef Hubert Seifert sold the eatery and accompanying wine lounge to Wine|Dine Holdings and cityBRANDS, who own and operate various restaurant concepts throughout Central Ohio, including The Wine Bistro, NAPA kitchen + bar and Katzinger’s Delicatessen.

    In a Facebook post on March 18, three days after the state’s dine-in shut-down began, SPAGIO announced the restaurant and wine bar would temporarily close until full-service dining could be restored in Ohio.

    At the time of publishing, SPAGIO has not yet responded to a request for comment. This article will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

    The online auctions through BIDFTA close on Thursday, August 27 and Friday, August 28.

    For more information, visit SPAGIO’s Facebook page.

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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