One of Wagga's favourite restaurateurs is hanging up her boots after more than 25 years at the helm of Il Corso.
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Carmen Gioia has made the bittersweet decision to put her Italian eatery on the market in order to spend more time with her young grandchildren.
"It's just because I want to be a grandmother and spend time with my family. My time's up," she said.
"You get to see them a little bit on your day off on a Sunday, but just before COVID, because things were slowing down in this industry, I had the chance to care for my grandson for the day. And I really enjoyed it."
Il Corso opened in 1992, back when there was only one other Italian restaurant in town and an almost-unrecognisable Baylis Street had four lanes of traffic and many independent shopfronts.
Thousands of locals and visitors have enjoyed the food and drinks at Il Corso since then, with many becoming regulars and friends to Ms Gioia.
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"We have a couple actually, they're coming in tonight. They're now, I think, in their 70s [and] they've been coming in since we were across the road back in the 90s," she said.
"And they book a table every Thursday night and still come in for dinner every Thursday night."
Ms Gioia originally hails from Griffith but quickly made a home in Wagga after getting to know the people here.
"I just want someone to feel the happiness and love that the people of Wagga can give you in your own restaurant. Because they are like your family and friends," she said.
"I had regulars that came in once a week and then moved away to be closer to their parents. They came back last night, just the one night they were in town.
"We were out there talking after everyone had gone. This industry is really good. But it's hard work."
The restaurant is up for sale through Country Business Brokers, a division of Wagga-based Peter Campbell Real Estate, for $145,000.
Ms Gioia intends to keep the building and lease the space to the new owners.
And was it a difficult choice to say goodbye to Il Corso? "Yes and no. I feel that now it's time, " she said.
"But someone may take over who could do even better than me. It doesn't have to be Italian. It can be any cuisine. But as long as they care for everyone here, customer-wise, and the people of Wagga.
"I just want them to feel the love that I have felt."
Catie McLeod
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
Catie is a reporter at The Daily Advertiser covering health and Wagga City Council. You can contact her on c.mcleod@dailyadvertiser.com.au or 0475 819 651.
