Most of us have noticed some activity at 4217 Lafayette Street and rumors abound about the possibilities of what is to come. Business owners Arty, Paula and Bryan are hoping to open Penello’s Italian Cuisine during the first week of July. The family was born and raised on Long Island in New York. Arty served four years in the Air Force and returned to live in New York. Arty and Paula met while working at a Ford dealership there. During this time he also served as a volunteer fire fighter for 30 years. On his record day, Arty responded to 33 fires. This was during the 1995 wild fires.

While raising their family, Arty worked for the New York Transit Authority for 20 years. For the next 10 years, he managed a catering company. “We learned how to make a dining experience fancy without charging patrons tons of money,” Arty explained. “We did everything from back yard barbecues to fancy events,” he added.