Ferd Grisanti, one of the longest-tenured and finest Italian joints in town, is no more. The Jeffersontown institution shut down June 8, six months after it was sold to Rodney Rupp.
CORRECTION: Mr. Rupp operated the restaurant from January 2007 until June 2008 – 18 months.
The restaurant was opened in 1972 by legendary restaurateur Ferd Grisanti. After his death in 1993, sons Paul and Vince operated the fine dining establishment until last year.
Rupp told the C-J that high gas prices and a poor economy were to blame for the business’s failure. “We succumbed to high gas prices and the struggling economy. Many were splitting half portions of alfredo and vermicelli.”
In addition, several other dining options, including Italian choices, have opened nearby, including Old Chicago Pizza just up Taylorsville Road and Buca di Beppo on Hurstbourne.
Rupp says he’s lost over $200,000 since October. The fate of the Taylorsville Road building that housed the restaurant is unknown.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Scott // Jun 28, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Sounds like ole Rod just bit off more than he could chew. He wants us to believe that the economy killed his business, a business that had been in existance 35 years before he bought it and in six months the economy killed it? Yea, right. Thanks Rodney for killing the best Italian place I had ever eaten at.
2 Rod // Jun 29, 2008 at 10:05 am
Just to correct something I had owned the restaurant since Jan 2007 So 18 months I owned the restaurant. I stayed open when 15 other restaurants had closed. Also understand that there are other reasons for the closure which cant be publicly stated yet.
3 Scott // Jun 30, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Classic cop out. Ferd 21 years, his sons 14 years, you 18 months. How do you lose $200k in 8 months? That’s $25k a month! Do me a favor, stay away from Rocky’s.
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