By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—A French-Italian bistro is one step closer to opening in downtown Paris with Thursday night’s approval of a beer permit for the new restaurant.
Stella Nera will be in the historic building at the intersection of Market and Wood Streets. Owner and Manager Fay Fassio of Paris and her crews have been working hard for several months on the restoration of the building, which used to house WTPR on the top floor and Luckey’s Hardware (followed by Wallin’s Hardware) on the bottom floor.
Fassio told WENK/WTPR that the French-Italian bistro will be open all day, from breakfast to dinner, featuring French pastries, a Sunday brunch, coffee bar, and fresh, homemade ingredients. “On the Italian menu, everything will be made right there, nothing will be frozen. The baked goods will be baked there, the pasta will be made there.”
Fassio said the target date for opening is around the first of April. She said the signage will be put on the building soon.
“We will be serving food on both floors and we really want the building to be a part of everybody’s life in the community,” Fassio said. “We want it to be a place that people can spend time and relax.”
Restoration of the building was important to Fassio from the beginning. The large windows that had been boarded up over the years were re-opened by her workers and the views from the windows will be a main feature of the new restaurant. “It looks great, looking out on Paris, from those windows,” she said.
Workers under the guidance of Master Mason Wolfgang Rackl have worked hard removing the stucco that had been placed over the side of the building. What emerged were the original hand-painted advertising murals on the side of the building.
Those murals were painted by the late Frank Brown, who at that time was with the Paris Sign Co. and the murals will remain.
People in Paris have been watching history emerge before their eyes as restoration work has continued at the building.
The Paris Alcoholic Beverage Control Board approved a Type B permit for on-premises consumption for the bistro. Partners in the business are Fassio’s husband, Matteo Fassio, and Dr. Joe Mobley.
Fassio said she will be applying soon for a state liquor license.
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