March 02, 2010

Illforno and Shavarsh

Earlier in the week it was Shavarsh, now it is Illforno--moving to the old McDonald's in West Boylston.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Illforno pulls a reverse UNUM!

(from downtown to the (or one of the seven) hill). As a Burncoat resident, a plus from where I stand.

Too bad Shavarsh did'nt take a run in a small store on Green or Water Sts., might have started a Worc. Jewelers Row.....

Eric K.
Worc., MA

Anonymous said...

have you been to al forno or did any of this blogs readers even go there once? i didnt think so

Bill Randell said...

Anonymous:


Your point being???? I eat downtown probably 5 times per week. This Saturday I had lunch at Uno's, but I usually go to Kevin's (Vive Bene).

No, I personally never had the chance to go to Illforno. Don't think my not going there forced them to close?

Bill

Paulie's Point of View said...

"have you been to al forno or did any of this blogs readers even go there once? i didnt think so"

I eat out about 10+ times a week..never been to the place mentioned but support many WooVille eateries...another moron no balls anonymous postah

tim macdonald said...

I went to Illforno and it was good eats. Bought a couple bottles of wine at KJ Barrons and went there after a UMass vs Holy Cross game at the DCU. Good night out in Worcester. Too bad they are leaving.

Jahn said...

Is Il Forno also In Leominster or N. County area somewhere? BYOB?

David Z. said...

Speaking of downtown, I noticed a red X on the front of the Paris Cinema indicating its impending demolition. It's too bad that we will lose this theater. When the current ownership group of Cinema 320 at Clark University owned the Paris way back when, it was a great draw for me to see films that would otherwise bypass Worcester.

I think Worcester needs a place for art & independent films. The cine-art at the Showcase North doesn’t count especially when they consider a mainstream movie like “The Blind Side” an art film. Plus what a horrible location for the Showcase North. Unless you live in the immediate vicinity, it is not the easiest place to get to.

Jahn said...

David is that Red X indicative of pending demo or is it just a warning to your IAFF's pals and others that the inside of the building is dangerous, decrepid, unsafe, or whatever?

Was there a contractors name also ppainted on the outside of the building? Markings on the street /sidewalk area indicative of undergrund utlities in the area?

Does the Hand It Over Theatre do those types of films?

Didnt MOB and the code dept basically put an end to "Art" films in Worcester with a vicious attack on the Paris Cinema and the Fine Arts over on Pleasant st? They shut down teh Paris Cinema, meanwhile one need only travel 1/2 mile north on Main St to the city owned AUD and see all the code issues with that structure that have been left unattended to for decades now. I mean christ we even had a dead body found in there that had been chillin' ( no pun) for a while before it was found at less than room temperature days or weeks after its demise

Do as the city says, not as the does.

Just as the Paris of the 80's died, so too will its landmark cinema and mall? Why didnt Konnie have the Paris taken via emininet domain and razed yrs ago? ( Note to Konnie: Carting demolition debris to teh dump or the incerator aint being very "GREEN")

David how about an arts theatre in the old Little Theatre in rear of ther AUD?

Is there really a market for that type of entertainemnt In Wrocester? Isnt that more of Harry T's Whole Foods Market type demographic? You know...the Montvale tennis courts type of mentality? More the 105+ IQ type of demographic [g]

David Z. said...

Jahn said, "Is there really a market for that type of entertainment In Worcester? Isnt that more of Harry T's Whole Foods Market type demographic? You know...the Montvale tennis courts type of mentality? More the 105+ IQ type of demographic"

I believe there is a market for this type of entertainment in Worcester. Right now I have to travel to Cambridge to see these types of films. I'd be willing to bet lots of Worcester residents do the same. Although I do have to say, I love traveling to Cambridge so I can take a side trip to Somerville!

In fact, a cinema company based on the West Coast was supposed to locate in CitySquare. The announcement was made awhile ago so I'm not sure if they're still in the mix. They were planning on showing mainstream and art house & independent films. It was right after that announcement that Showcase North started the "Cine-art" which I believe was a preemptive move on their part.

BTW, usually when a red X is placed on a building it means that it will be demolished.

jahn said...

David, so you are looking at a Bijou Theatre deja vu?

Didnt the Bijou disappear for lack of money or were they booted from Worc center when it was to be razed in March of 2006 (or was it 2005?). Was the Bijou also renting for short money in the basement of Wroc center.

What ever happend to Foothills theatre? Didnt they fold up ,too

David the Littel Theatre, altho supposedly in need of work, is an already exisitng venue already in a city owned building that is a white elephant/useless.

I would think someone might want to look into it? MAybe get a freebie rental from teh city. Maybe the city and state and Washington DC can send you "Hanover Theatre" type money.

The Hand it Over Theatre II? Just throwing out some ideas, myself not at all in favor of and subsidies of this nature. IF we can subsidize the arts & museum type crowd, why cant we subsidize 4th July Burnouts. Maybee the IAFF will do free rehab work at teh Littel Hanover threatre? Just a thot [g]

Anonymous said...

did u c the laughable comments from Hanover Theatre --the men there r against resort casinos cus it mite hurt them. they take crdit 4 revitalizing downtown and filling restuarants. go eat at the theatre cafe and the owner will tell u how unsupportive the City hall has been

Gabe said...

Ate a Illforno quite a bit. I can't believe the amount of downtown businesses that don't make attempts to reach out to the people who are actually living downtown. Blows my mind a lil bit.

David, Mayo construction tells me that the Paris is beyond saving. The building is junk I guess. I wonder how the old New Art is on Pleasant though. Bill that is your neck of the business world, you know anything about that building?

Also, the Bijou, while not the most successful venture ever, closed due to City Sq, and not because of anything financially related.