By Karen Antonacci
Staff Writer | Times-Call News
The owners of Deli Cioso have sold their property on South Main Street in Longmont to the owner of Boulder’s Gondolier Italian Eatery, and will close the 27-year-old location next month.
The Gondolier plans to open a second restaurant at that site in Longmont next year.
The sale has been in the works since at least early 2015, when Deli Cioso owner Rudy Masias told the Times-Call that he planned on retiring.
Masias sold the property on South Main Street to Gondolier owner Nelson Kugel for $675,000, Kugel said.
The Gondolier plans to open a restaurant at that location in April after a renovation.
“We need to make it look a little more like an Italian eatery, but we’re excited about the space and the neighborhood,” Kugel said.
Kugel’s father and grandfather were both from Longmont. He said the family is excited to open a second location in Longmont in addition to its current Boulder restaurant.
“Everybody’s from Longmont,” Kugel said. “We just ended up doing business in Boulder.”
Gary and Jan Kugel opened The Gondolier in 1960 at Broadway and Marine Street in Boulder. In 1980, they moved the popular restaurant to 28th Street and Valmont Road.
Gary and Jan retired in 2001 and Nelson took over the business, moving it to 18th and Pearl streets and then 16th and Pearl.
Nelson shuttered the restaurant for 15 months in 2012 while he looked for a smaller location. The eatery reopened at 4800 Baseline Road in 2013.
Chris Masias said on Facebook that they were happy to sell the Deli Cioso building to another family-owned restaurant.
“I’m happy that our old building will go to another long family legacy with roots right here in Boulder County,” Masias wrote.
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Original article: http://www.timescall.com/news/ci_30287878/gondolier-buys-longmonts-deli-cioso-site-open-2nd