LaMotta's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant closes in Fort Myers, moves to Cape Coral

The iconic family-owned restaurant has been serving the Iona Neighborhood for over four decades, but, impacted by the coronavirus crisis, it had to shut its doors in Fort Myers last month.

YOU’RE WATCHING AN ICONICFAMILY-OWNED ITALIAN RESTAURANTIS SAYING GOODBYE TO FORT MYERS.LAMOTTA’S PIZZERIA AND ITALIANRESTAURANT HAS BEEN SERVING THEIONA NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER 40YEARS.BUT NOW-HIT HARD BY THECORONAVIRUS CRISIS, IT HAD TOSHUT ITS DOORS LAST MONTH.BUT AS FOX 4 SANDRA RODRIGUEZEXPLAINS━ THE RESTAURANT’SSTORY IS NOT ENDING THERE.0:32 - 0:40LL INTRO:WHILE IT IS AN END OF AN ERA FORLAMOTTA’S IN FORT MYERS━ IT ISGETTING A NEW START HERE IN CAPECORAL... THIS IS THE WHERE THEPIZZERIA AND ITALIAN RESTAURANTWILL SOON RE-OPEN ITS DOORS BUAS THE OWNER TELLS ME TODAY━THE DECISION TO MOVE WAS NOTEASYA COMMUNITY STAPLE -- SERVINGITALIAN FAVORITES SINCE 1979...1:38:57(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"We’ve seen differentgenerations come back and forthand say oh my parents used tocome here, my grandparents usedto come here."LAMOTTA’S PIZZERIA AND ITALIANRESTAURANT HAS CLOSED IT’S DOORSIN FORT MYERS...53:47(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"I started there when I was 7years old, washing dishes,bussing tables, making pizzaboxes, learning how to make thepizza dough."CARMELO LAMOTTA’S PARENTS━ SALAND MARIA━ BROUGHT LAMOTTA’SPIZZERIA AND ITALIAN RESTAURANTTO LIFE 41 YEARS AGO IN THE IONANEIGHBORHOOD6:57:50(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"We’ve been through thehurricanes, through tropicalstorms, red tide algae blooms,oils spill, 9/11, three stockmarket crashes."NEVER IMAGINING IT WOULD BE AVIRUS THAT WOULD LEAD TO THERESTAURANT CLOSING ITS DOORS ONJUNE 18TH...2:34:33(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"We couldn’t make it anymore, wetried as long as we could tokeep the doors open and thelocals tried to keep us open."THE LACK OF SEASONAL RESIDENTSAND TOURISTS IMPACTING SALES...BUT THAT WASN’T THE ONLYSETBACK.3:16:43(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"Our air conditioner broke downat the same time too."LAMOTTA SAYS HIS LANDLORD WANTEDHIM TO INVEST ABOUT 20-THOUSANDDOLLARS FOR A NEW SYSTEMSOMETHING HE REFUSED TO DO6:39:26(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"I don’t own the plaza so whywould spend money on something Idon’t own."BUT THE FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSPLANS TO KEEP ITS THE LEGACYGOING IN CAPE CORAL...AND LAMOTTA SAYS HE IS THANKFULFOR THE OUTPOURING SUPPORT FROMHIS CUSTOMERS8:01:36(Carmelo LaMotta, Owner & Chef,LaMotta’s Pizzeria and ItalianRestaurant):"They’re tired of going toplaces you walk in and you’rejust another dollar symbol, whenyou come to LaMotta’s you’renot, we treat you like friendsand you leave like family."LL TAG:THE OWNER TELLS LAMOTTA’S IS SETTO RE-OPEN ON AUGUST 1ST AND ITWILL START OFF BY OFFERING TAKE-OUT, CURBSIDE, AND DELIV