Photo Gallery: Saint John Dining Institution Gets A Major Makeover
SAINT JOHN– After 23 years, Vito’s uptown Saint John location has undergone a major makeover.
The location, which first opened in 1984, last got renovated in 1996, when the Saint John Flames hockey team was established and business at nearby Harbour Station was in full swing.
But since then, Vito’s has had two neighbours move in next door, the Saint John Law Courts and the Saint John Police headquarters, as well and a more vibrant uptown core with a notable food scene.
“We had a great run for a good 20 years there,” said Vito’s co-owner “Big” George Georgoudis, in an interview with Huddle. “Then once the justice complex and the police department came, and along with everything else going on uptown, we regrouped and [rennovated] the main floor.”
The renovations were led by Lyn Van Tassell of LVT Design in Saint John. Gone are the dated colours, furniture and carpeting. Now the restaurant boasts a much more modern look that’s still in line with Vito’s brand.
“We loved the exterior of the building. We think it’s one of the nicer buildings in Saint John. We definitely wanted to complement it, but at the same time, we wanted something that brings it up in class and within the times,” said Georgoudis. “Obviously, with the colour scheme we had back in the 90s, it was definitely showing its age. We feel like we’ve brought it up to the times and the decor suits our personalities as well.”
Check out the before and after shots below.
“Before” shots courtesy of Vito’s Facebook. “After” shots courtesy of Mike Capson of ICS Creative Agency:
Though the restaurant has a new look, it also pays tribute to its history. The new decor features some blown-up family photos, including the first generation of Georgoudis brothers who started it all: Costa, Peter, Nick and Demetri.
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“We’ve been around since 1972. There’s some history there. We’ve been in the community and we’ve given back to the community in many ways. At the same time, we have a story and we, the second generation, feel it’s important to show our fathers,” said Georgoudis.
“It’s a testimony to them for they’ve done and we wanted to honour them and at the same time we want to keep the tradition going.”