Ground Zero haven Nino's closes its doors
Firefighters, police officers and volunteers came to Nino's, which served hundreds of thousands of free meals 24 hours a day for months.
The restaurant yesterday closed its doors for the last time, though, after months of renovations and a reopening failed to draw enough paying customers.
"This environment is a cultural experience and directly connected to the worst tragedy ever on American soil," said Nino Vendome, owner of the 28-year-old family-run eatery on Canal Street. "Coming here, I think, is overwhelming for people."
Vendome closed Nino's to the public and began serving meals to workers one day after the World Trade Center was destroyed. Other chefs offered to help, food donations poured in, and thousands of volunteers signed a waiting list for a four-hour shift. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Mia Farrow served meals.
Nino's stopped feeding volunteers in February, but Vendome continued making meals, 1,000 every day, to send to workers.
The restaurant shut down completely in April for renovations; Vendome estimated he had served more than 500,000 meals.
Nino's reopened in October, but business was poor.
Vendome hopes to hold an auction of memorabilia, with proceeds going to the Hudson Square Foundation, which gives job training to homeless people.
The organization was the beneficiary of a Christmas lunch that marked Nino's last served meal.
"I think it's very sad," foundation member Henry Buhl said. "But things run their course."