Renepuzzio closing its doors

BISMARCK — It only opened a few months ago but already Renepuzzio is closing its doors for good.

The restaurant in Bismarck was owned and operated by Shaun and Lanette Kunz. There were several reasons for the restaurant’s closing —Shaun’s diabetes, Lanette’s injury to her arm, and lack of business.

“Shaun’s health is just not able to keep up with the 80-hour work week that’s required to make this work and we can’t afford to hire help — and we’ve used up our family and friends so far to keep us going …” she said in an e-mail Wednesday. “Maybe someone with more capital and better health will buy it — and keep it going … who knows.”

They are going to auction the building and contents at 9 a.m. Dec. 1.

The restaurant opened in Bismarck in June. All of the food there was homemade. With no bar, it was not the typical karaoke or bar atmosphere.

The restaurant, in its brief existence, offered local musicians a place to sing — and sing for food. They also had monthly children’s talent show contests.

“With fuel prices and the economy shaky — road trips and going out to eat were cut from a lot of budgets,” Lanette said. “The cost of our food nearly doubled from when we opened — and we were barely able to stay afloat.

“If I could say one thing it would be for people to support the Mom and Pops restaurants out there. If we would have had even 10 more customers per day we could have stayed afloat — every little sandwich does add up — and if people would have skipped the fast food places even once a week and chosen us instead, we would have made it. Shaun’s health would have still been bad but maybe we could have hired someone to help us instead of doing it all ourselves.

“It’s a sad day …”

Teresa Ressel is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 179 or at tressel@dailyjournalonline.com.