Restaurant to relocate

By Grace Clarke

Published June 6, 2007

Rumors of force closure fly as employees of two local restaurants claim they are being asked to move due to a University expansion.

Bambino's and International Café will be forced to relocate as their leases approach expiration. The properties, located at the corner of Locust and Hitt streets, is owned by the university and leased to the two restaurants through 2010. The move would affect more than 35 employees between the two businesses.

Bambino's owner Brian Ash said although Bambino's will move, he doesn't feel rushed.

"This isn't a crisis," Ash said. "We'd love to find something sooner rather than later ... but we have three years. We have plenty of time to find a new home."

Ash said grapevine allegations that International Café would be forced off the property and into closure are false.

"The statement about International Café closing is not very accurate," Ash said. "They're not closing, but we will both have to find new locations."

MU spokesman Christian Basi said the university has not made arrangements to expand onto the property it owns and rent to the downtown establishments, but the leases will not be renewed.

"They are going to have to move," Basi said. "Unfortunately, I think that there is some miscommunication happening."

Before the previous lease expired in 2005, the university planned to tear down the structures and rebuild, according to International Café owner Muhammad Gumati.

"Somehow they changed their mind," he said. "Now, they gave us five extra years like a favor. Like they made a mistake or something."

The International Café and Bambino's are not the only eateries victimized by gossip. Earlier this year, speculation surrounding the closing of Shiloh Bar & Grill sparked a frenzy of concerned students and employees.

Two Shiloh employees declined to comment, and owner Tom Atkinson could not be reached for comment.

Basi said he is frustrated with the persistent confusion surrounding the rumors about Shiloh.

"We are not buying Shiloh," he said. "They are not closing."

Neighboring restaurants of International Café and Bambino's, remain confused at the rumors.

"We have not heard anything relevant to us yet," Chipotle manager Caleb Pemberton said. "We're locked into a lease contract for the property that we're on, and it's not university-owned, so we're not going to fall into that category."