PEABODY — A new restaurant called One Main Restaurant and Lounge will replace the closed Stanzy’s Country Ranch, and its owner and city officials are hopeful it will help revitalize the downtown.
Jason Panos, a lawyer representing One Main owner Pat Todisco of Todisco Properties, said that Todisco has had a vision of transforming the downtown into a lively and active hotspot since 2017.
“He found a tenant to help him with that vision and when the opportunity came up, he’s seized upon it,” Panos said. “Now, he’s going to be himself a proprietor who will be more actively involved in fulfilling his dream.”
Councilor-at-Large Jon Turco acknowledged that it was disheartening that the downtown’s revitalization got off track due to the pandemic, especially because he was excited to see restaurants like Stanzy’s open immediately before it began.
Todisco, who also owns other properties in the area such as 3 Main St., said that along with city councilors and Mayor Ted Bettencourt, he hopes to bring downtown Peabody back to life.
“We were on the right road, we got hit with COVID, it hurt a lot of people, so it needs to be brought back to life again, and I’m willing and more than able to,” Todisco said.
To do so, Todisco said he will not just focus on his upcoming restaurant, but other businesses in the area as well. Some of his plans include having specific tables in the restaurant dedicated to nearby businesses like Gallo Nero, Petrillo’s, or The NexMex Thing, and partnering with a museum to provide adult ticket holders with free meals for their children.
“I’m sure I’ll have a lot of people from outside our area, so the whole goal is that when they sit at these tables, they know that Peabody has a lot to offer,” Todisco said.
Ward 2 City Councilor Peter McGinn said that the plan for the restaurant is to occasionally have live entertainment for ambience, such as a singer with an acoustic guitar or a comedian.
“They don’t really anticipate engaging bands, and non-live entertainment would be played most of the time to complement the dining experience,” McGinn said.
“I’m looking forward to what he’s going to do over at One Main St.,” Bettencourt said.
