Lee’s Summit Garozzo’s will shutter on New Year’s Day

After 17 years in Lee’s Summit, Garozzo’s Ristorante will close at the end of the year.

Mike Garozzo said his lease at 1547 N.E. Rice Road expires on Oct. 31 and the landlord decided not to renew it but to expand its own business into the space.

But Garozzo was able to extend the lease through holidays and plans to “go out with a bang” on New Year’s Eve.

“I want to thank all our longtime customers and friends and you never know, if the right deal comes up we might consider relocating in Lee’s Summit,” Garozzo said.

The restaurant has about 35 employees and he plans to offer severance pay to those who remain until the end of the year. Then he will try to offer many of the employees positions at the Garozzo’s in Columbus Park and Overland Park and in his growing catering business.

ReDiscover, a certified community behavioral health clinic, has taken most of the former Savannah Square shopping center and plans to expand into the 10,000-square-foot Garozzo’s space, as well an Allstate Insurance office space, which will vacate this month.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Lee’s Summit Garozzo’s will shutter on New Year’s Day."