Mary Maestri’s Sold, To Be Demolished

One of Northwest Arkansas’ landmark restaurants will soon be a thing of the past.

The former Mary Maestri’s restaurant at 992 E. Henri De Tonti Blvd., in Tontitown will be demolished to make way for a 30,000-SF shopping center.

Cave Springs businessman Brett Hash, through his PLBTP LLC, paid White River Bancshares Inc. $1.7 million for the 2.5-acre property in December.

Hash is a co-owner of The Creeks golf course in Cave Springs. He and Margie Moldenhauer also own the real estate company Re/Max and Associates of Fayetteville.

PLBTP, Hash said, is an acronym that stands for “Please Lord Bless This Project.”

“It’s probably crazy to build a 30,000-SF shopping center right now,” Hash joked. “But I am excited about it. We’ve had a lot of great interest in the project.”

Hash said Monday the Tontitown Fire Department will destroy the building in a controlled burn, doubling as a training exercise for the department. No demolition date has been set, but Hash said it could be within the next three weeks.

Hash plans to submit his large-scale development plans for Casalini Court Shopping Center to the city of Tontitown in February, with an eye towards groundbreaking before the end of spring. The name Casalini was chosen, Hash said, as an homage to the founding fathers of Tontitown, several of whom can trace their heritage to Casalini, Italy.

Hash conceded the choice to destroy the two-story building was difficult to make.

In May 2010, the Italian eatery was shuttered by the state after 87 years of doing business. The restaurant was delinquent in paying thousands of sales-tax dollars numerous times during the two years prior to being closed.

The thought of Mary Maestri’s going up in flames is likely to draw several onlookers with tear-filled eyes.

“Including mine,” Hash agreed. “I’m a Northwest Arkansas native, went to Springdale High and spent every one of my prom dinners at that restaurant. I got engaged to my beautiful wife of 30 years there and our wedding rehearsal dinner was there.

“It’s sad that a building with that much tradition has to go away for this new project to happen, but I really think this is the thing to do.”

Hash has donated some of the freezers and cold-storage units to Lifesource International in Fayetteville.

Keith Maestri was the restaurant’s last owner before Signature Bank of Arkansas took back the 5,231-SF property, which also contains a 2,000-SF outbuilding. White River Bancshares, the holding company for Signature, had been allowing a church to hold Sunday morning services on the premises rent-free, in exchange for upkeep on the property.

Hash said The City Church recently moved to a permanent location in Fayetteville, before he bought the property.

Hash said he is in talks with two national chains about anchoring the shopping center. He also said he is in the latter part of negotiations to bring a “well-liked, long-term” Northwest Arkansas restaurant to Casalini Court.

“The shopping center will bring a lot of fine and needed goods and services to Tontitown that will be appreciated by the locals,” Hash said. “And the restaurant will mean great food being served on that corner for years to come.”

Major Makeover

The Casalini Court project will be part of a major makeover for the area at the corner of U.S. Highway 412 and Arkansas Highway 112.

Hash also owns acreage adjacent to the recently acquired Mary Maestri property. He recently sold roughly four acres, property that will be proposed for a 25,000-SF Orscheln Farm and Home store.

The retail chain carries lawn and garden supplies, farm supplies, tools, electrical, automotive and fencing supplies, clothing and footwear and sporting goods.

The building would be built directly north of where Mary Maestri’s currently sits.

Orscheln currently operates a downtown Springdale location in the former Layman’s General Hardware Co. building on East Emma Avenue.