According to a news report from www.rctimes.com, “A sport utility vehicle drove past Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders on Monday morning and stopped briefly. Perhaps the driver noticed the lights that had been dark for months now burned life inside the building.”
“The White Bridge Road eatery reopened Monday, nearly three months after manager Chris Caris, 33, and employee Joshua Cole, 18, were shot to death inside the west Nashville business. Diners noticed some differences. There’s new lighting, carpet and tile and a new flat screen TV. But most notably is the absence of cash from the store. The restaurant will accept only checks and debit and credit cards as methods of payment,” said the story. “Store owner Chris Thompson said the decision to remove all cash from the site was to ensure safety. “While there’s still no guarantee … at least this time we know it won’t be for cash,” Thompson said. Cory Scurlock, who stopped by during lunch, said the no-cash approach is not a big inconvenience. “I never have cash,” Scurlock said. “It’s actually an inconvenience when people don’t accept debit cards.” To support the families, 25 percent of this week’s sales will go to the victims’ two memorial funds. There was no guarantee that the restaurant would reopen. Thompson said the restaurant suffered “an obvious amount of shock” after the botched robbery last year.”
