EAST GREENWICH – Steve Marra has bought out his partner, Bill Pinelli, to become sole owner of Pinelli Marra Restaurant Group, one of the state’s best-known independent food service companies, Providence Business News has confirmed.
In an interview, Marra emphasized that there was “no rupture” or any discord that led to the change of ownership. Pinelli continues to be involved in the group’s restaurant and catering operations, Marra said, and he attended some of the commencement and Waterfire events catered by the company over Memorial Day weekend. The two men had been partners since 1994.
Marra said Pinelli planned to focus on Pinelli’s Deli and Café at Night on Quaker Lane in West Warwick, which he owns, and spend more time with his family.
Pinelli Marra owns eight restaurants in Rhode Island, including its Twist eateries in Providence, South Kingstown and Warwick, and Waterplace in downtown Providence, which opened in 2007. The company also has a catering business.
Despite the changes at the top, Marra emphasized that “it’s just business at usual” at the Pinelli Marra group. “That’s exactly the way that I would put it,” he said, adding that there are no plans to change the company’s name. He was responding to a report on the Web site My02818.com.
Marra is now solely responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations. “It’s not much of a change, really,” he said, noting that he has been serving as the company’s CEO and chief financial officer “for quite some time.”
“That will continue as it has,” Marra said. “There’s been, really, no noticeable difference, other than for employees.”
Marra said business at his company’s restaurants and in the catering division was “going extremely well,” which he credited to the company’s aggressive efforts to cut costs and hold the line on prices since the economy started to slide in late 2007.
Marra also said the company is keeping a close eye on opportunities for additional restaurants. Although he said there are no plans to expand at this time, the recession has created “a lot of very attractive opportunities … and if it’s attractive enough, we won’t sit back.”
Additional information is available at PinelliMarraRestaurants.com.
Correction: A previous version of this article said Pinelli’s Deli and Café at Night is owned by Pinelli Marra Restaurant Group. Although it is listed on the group’s Web site as one of Pinelli Marra’s restaurants, Pinelli told PBN he is the owner.
