‘Our house on Sunday’: A new Riverwalk restaurant plans to make Rock Hill its family.
Two long-time New York restaurateurs believe they may land just right with their new place in Riverwalk. It’s just a matter of inviting the family.
“Everybody who comes through my doors will be family,” said Nicky Musacchia, co-owner of Palermo’s Italian Eatery with friend and and associate of four decades Joe Guercio.
Coronavirus has not been kind to restaurants. Social distancing measures since March led to a wave of unemployment, with hospitality and service industries hit particularly hard. Yet restaurants are reopening. Just in time for Palermo’s soft opening set for late June.
The restaurant is hiring. It will employ about 20 people. There have been challenges, including uncertainty in hiring due to coronavirus with so many restaurant workers on or coming off unemployment. Musacchia checks in regularly on state rules, the latest that indoor restaurant seating can run at half capacity. Yet the pair have reason to believe their latest venture will thrive.
“Pizza is always there,” Musacchia said. “Even with coronavirus, people can afford pizza. Every American family can afford a pizza.”
Plus, the Riverwalk location is an increasingly popular dining destination. The Pump House, Grapevine and The Brass Tap are a pizza waft away from the Palermo’s site. Legal Remedy Brewing announced plans to open a cantina across from the Giordana Velodrome.
Riverwalk has plenty of new and coming homes, plus the namesake riverfront trail and businesses that bring so many to the area.
“It’s such a captured audience,” Musacchia said.
He points to Carolina Panthers plans for a new headquarters in Rock Hill as further reason the area is poised to support a new eatery.
“Especially with the Panthers coming here,” Musacchia said, “it will be a homerun for us too.”
The new restaurant at 652 Herrons Ferry Road will have a pizza station, beer and wine service bar, patios on each side. It will serve Italian comfort food in a casual fine dining setting.
“It’s like eating at our house on Sunday,” Guercio said.
Guercio comes from Miami, Musacchia from Long Island, New York. They’ve worked as manager and chef at numerous restaurants including one across from UNC Charlotte and another in Huntersville, N.C. It’s always been Italian. The pair take pride in their 14- and 16-inch New York-style pizza.
“We take pride in the pizza we make and we take pride in the ingredients we purchase,” Musacchia said. “Every pizza we make, it’s like we’re going to eat it ourselves.”
Palermo’s will have veal, seafood and pasta as well. Brooklyn-style braciole sausage should prove a popular dish. The dinner menu has items in the $15 to $20 range along with lunch specials and a display case of pizza from oven. Gluten free pizza and pasta, plus some vegan friendly items are options.
“Homemade pasta,” Guercio said. “We’re going to have a grab-and-go refrigerator where they can take the pasta home.”
The 3,100-square-foot space is still in the upfit stage. The co-owners signed a lease in December and had planned to open sooner than summer. With coronavirus, the later timing proved a blessing.
“We were pushing for January or February, but I’m glad we didn’t,” Guercio said.
Despite the threats of COVID-19 and social distancing, or the complements from a riverfront trail community and Carolina Panthers neighbors, the Palermo’s team understands it’s the same tried and true factors that will determine success. They have to wow customers with service and food.
“Our ingredients are always going to be fresh,” Musacchia said. “Our seafood is always going to be fresh. That’s why we’ll be a cut above the rest.”
