Manny’s House of Pizza — a downtown Nashville institution and longtime anchor of The Arcade — is closing after a nearly 40-year run.
Opened in 1984, the beloved hole-in-the-wall New York City-style pizza joint is owned and operated by wife and husband Adele Macca and Manny Macca. Known for its pizza, Manny’s also offers pasta, calzones and rolls.
The closing comes as The Arcade's owner, an entity that includes local real estate industry veteran Rob Lowe and New York City-based Linfield Capital, moves closer to completing a major renovation of the historic structure. The owners paid $28 million for the building in April 2021.
The Maccas noted on their Facebook page Monday concerns related to operating a full kitchen once renovations are completed. They write at the post's end that they are "uncertain" as to their future, and it is unclear if they could reopen elsewhere — or even reopen in The Arcade.
The Maccas could not be reached for comment.
Through a pandemic and a change in ownership, shopkeepers in the iconic downtown shopping mall continue to hang on
Manny Macca posted the following via social media:
From my origins in Sicily, Italy, to my journey through New York and eventually settling in Nashville, my family and I are immensely grateful for all the wonderful memories and support we have received. It has been the greatest pleasure serving multiple generations of families in Nashville and welcoming tourists from all over the world. Your patronage has meant everything to us.
We are uncertain what the future holds for us in The Arcade at this time, but we hope to see you all again.
Lowe, who serves as managing director for the local office of Dallas-based commercial real estate company Stream, says ownership worked with the Maccas for the past two years, with a goal of having Manny’s House of Pizza remain in The Arcade.
"We have explored multiple layouts within The Arcade and on adjacent properties for the future of their business, and are continuing this dialogue," he says. "The objective has been supporting a larger restaurant with a prep kitchen and dining room. From the ownership side, staying in their current front footprint continues to be an option, but the back portion needed to accommodate other leasing parameters. We echo Manny’s sentiment, and hope there is a path forward."
The Arcade as seen in 2022, prior to the start of renovations
As to Percy’s Shoe Shine Service and The Peanut Shop, Lowe says the two businesses continue operations. Longtime Arcade tenant Monty’s Barber Shop previously closed, with owner Monty Weathers maintaining his business on Charlotte Avenue in West Nashville.
Lowe says the renovation effort is progressing effectively and that the team anticipates pop-up businesses to populate the building for the fall and winter. He says permanent businesses could be in place by the spring.
"The vast majority of the infrastructure work is now completed, which was quite a task given the property is over 120 years old," he says. "Now we're focused on the tenant mix and are hopeful The Arcade will come back to life starting this fall and hopefully a full slate of tenants by next spring."
Though the Manny’s closing in The Arcade seemingly is permanent, it is not the first time the pizzeria has ceased operations. In early 2017, the restaurant closed for seven months for renovations. It reopened with abbreviated hours and no Saturday operations.
The Arcade opened in 1902 and offers an address of 65 Arcade Alley. Spanning Fourth and Fifth avenues north and modeled after an Italian arcade, it was Nashville's first “shopping center,” as it replaced what was called Overton Alley as the city’s retail commerce epicenter.
This article first ran via our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
