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Restaurateurs react as Boscariol's restaurant business goes bankrupt

The late Mark Boscariol's three restaurants were closed abruptly because the company operating them was insolvent, says his family.

In a release sent to CBC News Monday, the family of the entrepreneur says that decision was made while administering Boscariol's estate.

"As common in small businesses, the founder is the glue that keeps the business together through good and tough times," the statement reads, "Mark was that glue."

People in the restaurant industry are echoing those statements, commending Boscariol for his ability to guide three separate locations with new ideas.

"There's some great people out there doing some really good things on a smaller scale," said Chris Ryan, who has worked in the food scene for years and often crossed paths with Boscariol.

"But to get to the scale that Mark was at and his level of commitment to that? I think it's going to be hard to replace."

Lauded for going beyond the normal

Boscariol's business partner Jim Renaud declined to comment on the decision to file for bankruptcy, when reached by CBC News for comment on Monday.

Renaud said he hasn't had a chance in the past three weeks stop to truly process Boscariol's passing.

Bread Meats Bread chef and owner David Prantera opened his place on Chatham Street beside the former location of SnackBar-B-Q.

Prantera said he can remember Boscariol racing up and down the sidewalk with a shovel in the winter, making sure the path was clear for customers and owners in the city's core.

"He opened these places that were not the norm," said Prantera, lauding him for opening something beyond a "typical corporate store."

Difficult decisions

While it was a difficult decision, the family says it's the "most appropriate" at this time. The news of the restaurant closures came three weeks after Boscariol's death.

"It may not had to of declared insolvency if Mark had lived," said Melina Munro, adding that the company would declare bankruptcy Monday.

The family asks people to respect their privacy as they grieve during this time, and that there will be no further statements.

Downtown Pizza Co., SnackBar-B-Q and Good Neighbour were closed last Thursday afternoon.

Downtown Windsor BIA chairperson Larry Horwitz said at the time he was unsure what the future of the properties will hold.