A fundraiser this week will benefit employees of Piccolo, 107 W. Aldersgate, in Nixa.
On June 24, a vehicle drove through the back office of Piccolo, an Italian restaurant owned by Steve D'Arpino, and into the back line kitchen/dish room. The incident caused significant damage and forced the business to close.
Billy Greene, owner of Village Inn on E. Glenstone in Springfield as well as Mo Slider Company and Liege Love Waffle Co. at 14 Mill Market food hall, 203 E. Mt. Vernon in Nixa, is working with 417Foodist and others to host the benefit. It’s called Piccolo & 417Foodist TAKEOVER Mo Slider Company.
"Piccolo's' taking over our kitchen (Mo Slider), and they have a few of their menu items that they're going to serve," he said. "And then they also have some crossover items. They're going to have a couple sliders and a loaded fry, I think, because that's a lot of what we do at Mo Slider. And so, they're going to take over. They're going to be cooking the food, his (D'Arpino's) team is going to be there, and Steve's going to be there."
Proceeds will benefit staff who have been out of work since the incident. Greene said attendees will also be able to contribute to a GoFundMe for employees.
Several local restaurant owners are helping out with the event. According to Greene, they support one another in times like these.
"A lot of times you see restaurants competing, and you don't see them coming together," he said. "But we have so many great restaurant owners in this area, and just to see everybody want to come together and help, because, you know, this could happen to any of us. I mean, this could happen to any of us at any time, and just to know that there's people out there that want to support each other, it just means a lot to the industry."
D'Arpino said he's humbled by the effort of Greene and others to help his employees as they work to reopen.
"Just that fact that he (Greene) is willing to close down his restaurant for an entire night and donate, you know, all the sales to our staff is just — you know, I can't say enough kind words about him," he said. "I really hope — I mean this genuinely — I really hope that the community always remembers, you know, how thoughtful of a gesture that this was that he put together."
The fundraiser for Piccolo employees starts this Thursday, August 21, at 4 p.m. at 14 Mill Market.
D'Arpino said it's going to be several more weeks before Piccolo can reopen, and not all of the staff will return. Some have had to find other jobs to make ends meet, he said.
Story was updated at 3:14 p.m. Monday.
