Ювелирный магазин Spicer Greene Jewelers откроет новый филиал в центре Гринвилля, заняв место закрытого итальянского ресторана

GREENVILLE — An Asheville, N.C., jeweler will take over the prominent downtown space being vacated by the move of a longtime Italian restaurant. Spicer Greene Jewelers, founded in Asheville in 1926, has purchased the location at 100 N. Main St. that has been home to Ristorante Bergamo since 1986. Hope Tz Schmalzl, a broker with C. Dan Joyner Commercial, facilitated the sale of the property at the intersection of North Main and Coffee streets, according to a news release. A price was not announced. “As a lifelong resident of Greenville, this sale meant far more to me than a transaction,” Schmalzl said. “This is my home. I wanted to be certain that a corner this important was filled with something worthy of it, and Spicer Greene Jewelers is exactly that.” The building has stood at the corner since 1904 and has been home to Ristorante Bergamo since 1986, welcoming diners seeking an upscale Italian cuisine experience when downtown Greenville seemed a less welcoming destination. Chef Nello Gioia opened Ristorante Bergamo in 1986, unsure whether it would succeed among shuttered businesses all around at a time when urban revitalization had yet to manifest. In 2020, Gioia recruited Gian Pietro Ferro — another chef with New York roots who also hailed from the same Northern Italian city — to take over ownership. Now, after 40 years across from the grand plaza that once shared its name, the restaurant is moving. But it’s not leaving the downtown it watched transform into a bustling district and tourist draw. The restaurant is relocating to 942 S. Main St. in Greenville’s West End, near Fluor Field. Spicer Green owners Elliott and Eva-Michelle Spicer plan to open their Greenville store in early 2027. Greenville Editor Eric Connor contributed to this report.