After 25 years in business, Richmond’s Salute E Vita Ristorante will close its doors on July 6. The Italian restaurant occupies a 100-year-old Victorian with a patio looking out onto Marina Bay.
Displacement in Oakland’s central business districts has been well-documented, and the threats are making their way to Richmond, too. Owner Menbere Aklilu first received a 30-day notice to vacate in 2016. According to a press release, community efforts pressured the landlord to rescind the eviction notice, but Aklilu has struggled to negotiate a new lease ever since. After running the restaurant on a month-to-month lease for well over a year, she has decided it’s time to say farewell to Salute E Vita.
Fans of the restaurant are invited to celebrate Aklilu’s birthday at Salute E Vita (1900 Esplanade Drive) on July 5 and 6 with a free meal. Instead of gifts, she hopes folks will donate funds to members of her staff, who now need to find new jobs.Â
Displacement in Oakland’s central business districts has been well-documented, and the threats are making their way to Richmond, too. Owner Menbere Aklilu first received a 30-day notice to vacate in 2016. According to a press release, community efforts pressured the landlord to rescind the eviction notice, but Aklilu has struggled to negotiate a new lease ever since. After running the restaurant on a month-to-month lease for well over a year, she has decided it’s time to say farewell to Salute E Vita.
Fans of the restaurant are invited to celebrate Aklilu’s birthday at Salute E Vita (1900 Esplanade Drive) on July 5 and 6 with a free meal. Instead of gifts, she hopes folks will donate funds to members of her staff, who now need to find new jobs.Â