By James Lomuscio
Like the old Yankee Stadium, its large, framed photo on the wall near the register, Arcudi’s Restaurant will also be consigned to the memory of Westporters, many of whom spent a lot of time at the eatery discussing baseball, government and town issues.
Joe Arcudi: “The new Westport doesn’t know the old Arcudi’s.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Joe Arcudi, a lifelong Westporter, Little League and Babe Ruth coach and former first selectman, said economic realities will force him to shut down on Monday.
“I have no choice,” said Arcudi, 69, who first opened the 1035 Post Road East restaurant in 1973, then reopened it again two and half years ago. “My volume doesn’t justify the rent.”
It is not that the $4,100 a month for the one-story, square building next to Carvel is exorbitant by Westport standards. In fact, Arcudi says, it is low. It is just that the man whose advertisements state, “We don’t cut corners,” has had a hard time making ends meet since he reopened after a nearly 15-year hiatus at the same location.
“Part of it is the economy, and part of it is the people who don’t know we’re here,” he said. “The new Westport doesn’t know the old Arcudi’s.
“In the 1980s, I used to do 500 Sicilian pizzas a week,” he added. “Now, it’s not even 100. The old customers never came back.”
Joe Arcudi chats with lunch customers Ron Caruso (l) and Ken Bernhard. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The number of patrons who come to eat in rather than take out is also down.
“Last night we had one customer,” he said, despite the restaurant’s bar, soups not found at most Italian restaurants and Arcudi’s signature cannolis.
“I make my own shells from scratch,” he smiled.
“We have good food at reasonable prices, and it’s all homemade,” Arcudi added. “The chicken, the veal and the eggplant is all made from scratch. I love the work, and I’m here seven days a week. We open at 11 and close at 10 at night.”
Arcudi started the restaurant on March 1, 1973, a few years after he was elected to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). A Republican, he holds the town record for the longest tenure on RTM, serving from 1969 to 1993 when he was elected first selectman.
He shut down the restaurant in 1994, wanting to devote all his attention to his elected post.
Joe Arcudi is seeking a seat on the RTM where he served for 24 years. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
After he lost reelection to Democrat Diane Farrell in 1997, he opened his restaurant in Norwalk for 10 years. Then in April of 2009, he came back to his same old location next to Carvel.
Arcudi said his landlord, Mt. Pleasant Management Corp. has asked him to leave Oct. 27, but that he has decided to leave a week sooner.
“We’ll be out of here Oct. 20,” he said. “Next Monday will be our last day.”
He said he might consider opening at another location in town, “but right now, I’ve got to pay some of those bills.”
Meanwhile, Arcudi is looking to return to the RTM, and is a candidate for District 2 in the upcoming election.
“I enjoyed serving on the RTM, and I served with many outstanding people,” he said. “The RTM has made a difference in this town.
“I also enjoy cooking for people, and I hope to do it sometime in the future too.”
Sad to see this place close, the food is delicious! Good luck to Mr. Arcudi in the upcoming election.