GIOVANNI'S RESTAURANT TO CLOSE

a milwaukeeworld.com exclusive

(c) 2006 By Michael Horne

Giovanni's Restaurant, 1683 N. Van Buren St., will close by June, milwaukeeworld has learned after speaking to numerous sources in the neighborhood and in the foodservice industry.
The building is to be sold and razed, and there is some speculation the property would be converted to retail use. The building had once been a gasoline station, and there is some talk that it might return to that function, perhaps as a BP station.
Owner Giovanni Safina was not immediately available for comment. A receptionist at the restaurant did not deny the sale and impending closing of the restaurant, but said any comment would come from Safina.
Sam McGovern Rowen, of the office of Ald. Michael S. D'Amato, said he was unaware of any changes in ownership of the property.
Jeff Beutner, the restaurant reviewer of the Shepherd Express, recently wrote a favorable review of Giovanni's, mentioning it as a survivor among Milwaukee's Sicilian restaurants, and noting the disappearance of such once-familiar names as Cataldo's, Tarantino's and Nicolo's from the local dining scene. Those restaurants, like Giovanni's, were located on E. Brady Street. Giovanni's has remained a neighborhood favorite, and was a popular spot for other restaurant and bar owners and characters such as Dennis "Libby" Librizzi, Jimmy "Pitch" Picciurro and John Bowers. It was a frequent luncheon spot for members of the Police and Fire unions, including Bradley DeBraska and Greg Gracz.
It would be possible to take a 2004 BMW to Giovanni's and to have it be the crummiest car on the lot.
The property was most recently assessed at $138,000 for the land and $471,100 for the improvements, for a total of $610,000.
Martin Greenberg, an attorney for Giovanni's, said a confidentiality agreement prohibited him from commenting on the matter.
More details will follow as they become available.