MargateNews.net - http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/ Original Article URL: http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/news/articles/article49.asp 56 Jobs in Margate • Trattoria Bella Cibo more than a new restaurant By Mitchell Pellecchia, Staff Writer Sunday, April 5, 2009 More notable than Trattoria Bello Cibo’s sensational suppli, panninis and Pizza ala Piato, is the more than 50 jobs this 200-plus seat Margate Boulevard bistro has injected into the city’s flailing economy. At a recent city commission meeting, Margate City Manager, Frank Porcella portrayed the trattoria as a success story within Margate’s Community Redevelopment District. Porcella lauded Bella Cibo for bringing much needed jobs to Margate and for taking a chance on Margate’s proposed City Center, an area owned and operated by the MCRA (Margate Community Redevelopment Agency). In exchange for a break on rent, Bella Cibo owners converted an abandon convenience store into an al fresco eatery ala full-liquor bar, jazz and dancing – the first of its kind in Downtown Margate. Naturally, it’ll take a lot of Signature Meatballs and great service for Trattoria Bella Cibo to weather the current economic downtrend. Even during the best of times, new restaurants rarely break even in their first year in business. For Trattoria Bella Cibo, this would mean selling a cool $2 million in food and beverage by April 2010. What else is in Downtown Margate? Sharkey’s Boulevard Lounge:  Cold beer, darts, pool and locals Mugshots: Cold beer, darts, pool, locals and bands Ace Hardware: Better service than big box stores for about the same price. Pete’s Barber Shop: Haircuts for the whole family. The store is neat and clean and the prices are reasonable. Thai Express: Tasty Thai food. They deliver. Taqueria Michoancana: Mexican restaurant. No speaky English. Payless Foods: A disgusting discount grocery that sells expired goods. Fresh produce is a crapshoot.   Think Thrift: Real cheap used clothes. Lots of jeans and worn-once items. Margate Chamber of Commerce: Business organization. Margate businesses are encouraged to join. Chevron: Gas and convenience items. Friendly people. How close to completion is Margate’s City Center (Downtown)? Given the current economic climate it’s anyone’s guess when a developer(s) will submit an RFQ to build on City Center land. It could be a year, five or ten, say MCRA officials. Historically, projects of this magnitude can take a decade and more.   Are there properties available to rent in Downtown Margate? The vacancy rate is high in Downtown Margate, so lease opportunities are plentiful. Storefronts are in the $10-$12 sq. ft. range. Contact James Nardi at 954-817-1041 for more information. __________________________________________ Get MargateNews.net on your desktop, laptop or mobile Internet with customizable RSS (Real Simple Syndication) Feeds. Receive all the news, or just some of it, as soon as it’s published! Sign up now. Access the wireless version of this website by visiting http://www.margatenews.net/margatenews/wireless with your WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) Internet-enabled wireless device. Copyright Cassius Group 2009