LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After 26 years of serving pizza on Main Street, this local pizza chain has become an institution.
Bearno's by the Bridge, the 2nd Street Bridge, is closing, and moving.
"We're really excited to be moving to 310 West Market," said George Timmering, the managing partner of Bearno's.
You could say he's playing a new hand, putting all his bets on this new location not far from 2nd Street, but sitting right next to the soon to be open Derby City Gaming owned by Churchill Downs.
"Get better rent, but more importantly, closer to more customers and a better location," Timmering said.
The pizza restaurant will be vastly different from the troubled spot that recently occupied the historic building. It replaces the Southern Restaurant & Lounge, the location where two people were shot and killed and four injured at a 3 a.m. party in August.
Bearno's is known as a family sit down place with very different hours.
"We should be able to maintain all the business that we've had for the last 26 years but we're a little closer to the action so to speak so were really excited about that," Timmering said.
This new move will hopefully bring more Louisvillians downtown, like Ricky Baldon.
"I think it will be cool for the city and it will bring more people to come here and gamble and spend some money, bring it to the city," Baldon said.
With Derby City Gaming's well lit billboard, visitors like Greg Fraker said it's something you can't miss.
"That can't hurt, there's lots of great options downtown, and I think adding to them, and the addition of certainly, Derby City, is going to bring a lot more potential to downtown," Fraker said.
Now he and so many others are waiting patiently for the grand opening.
Bearno's is expected to move to it's new location on Market Street by mid-December.
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