Iconic restaurant in Jonesboro shutters its business

One of the iconic restaurants in Northeast Arkansas has closed its doors for good. Lazzari Italian Oven has announced it will permanently shutter its Jonesboro operations.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the permanent closure of the restaurant, a decision I have made after 30 years,” owners Paul Bass and Michael Davies stated on social media. “I would be dishonest if I said this decision did not affect me deeply. Today has been an incredibly tough day.”

Davies told Talk Business & Politics several months ago that business had been dwindling, and he was worried they might have to shut down. Opened in 1995, the restaurant was a mainstay on Caraway Road, which at the time was the busiest thoroughfare in Jonesboro.

Jerry and Sue Flynn were the original owners, and in 1998 the couple brought in Davies, their nephew, to work as the general manager.

The former Indian Mall used to be on Caraway Road and the heavy traffic to the mall fueled businesses up and down the roadway. That changed when the mall closed and the new Mall at Turtle Creek opened on Red Wolf Boulevard in 2006.

Traffic patterns drastically changed in the city, and many businesses on Caraway suffered or closed as a result.

On social media, many were stunned by the immediate closure and several asked how they could redeem gift cards from the restaurant. It’s not clear if any refunds for gift cards will be distributed.