The local blog Eye on Miami posted a letter signed "Sincerely yours, Piola" inviting friends and family to the "Piola Funeral." We the pizzeria called to confirm that these words were indeed theirs, they were."We're closing on Monday," they said, "Our lease is over and we have to relocate. We don't know where yet, we don't want to give any wrong information."
Piola currently has several franchises around the world, including five in Florida, but its South Beach location had been serving locals for 15 years.This July, Piola Ft. Lauderdale received the 2015 Best of Fort Lauderdale Award in the Italian Restaurant category.
Its funeral will be held Monday, August 31st from 5pm-8pm. Below is the goodbye letter.
PIOLA FUNERAL
Monday, August 31st
From 5pm to 8pm
Dear Piola Friends & Family,
It is a great sorrow to announce that after 15 years of being located in the heart of South Beach, this will no longer be our home. Piola South Beach was known not only as a restaurant to Lincoln road regulars and Miamians, but as a second home. A place where family, friends, loved ones, and even people who would become significant to each other’s lives in the future could meet and experience what it was like to have a variety of cultures come together in cuisine.
After 15 years of making memories and bringing joy to customers Piola South Beach is being forced to relocate due to investors who are not only removing us from our home, but removing the heart and soul of Miami Beach that has distinguished our city from other cities around the world making Miami Beach the fun spirited city with a personality everyone could not help but love. The manner in which we are being removed from our location shows lack of dignity, character and heart. There was no form of negotiation nor effort made from the other party to come to a civilized agreement amongst partners who had been worked together for over a decade. Does this sound like the characteristic of any future establishment that you would like to call a second home?
Drawn to our wit’s end Piola invites you to be our guest and say a final goodbye this upcoming Monday August 31st from 5-8 pm.
We hope that our restaurant will always hold a special place in your hearts and memories. Just as all of you our customers will remain in ours.
Sincerely yours,
Piola