May 11, 2021 / 11:33 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) The owner of a longtime Indianapolis family business has died, and now downtown stakeholders are fighting to help keep Cento Shoes open.
Tony Cento died last week. When News 8 stopped in the shop Tuesday to talk to the Centos, we overheard a phone conversation with a customer. Tony Cento’s brother Michael Cento explained Tony Cento had passed away and the woman on the other line kept saying “No, it can’t be true.”
Michael Cento quickly put her feelings ahead of his own and responded.
“But I’m going to stay and run the business, you know I was the one with him and I’m going to be here,” he said.
May 10, 2021 / 03:08 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Downtown Indy Inc. is leading a fundraiser after the death of an owner and operator of a longtime downtown shoe business, with hopes to help the man’s family and keep the business running.
Tony Cento died Wednesday at the age of 50, according to his obituary. He graduated from Roncalli High School and the Kelly School of Business at IUPUI. He is survived by his wife, mother, son, daughter and brother.
Tony and his brother, Mike Cento, took over Cento Shoes from their father, Paul, an Italian immigrant who opened the store in 1971 at 33 S. Meridian St., where it still stands. They sell and repair shoes and other leather goods.
INDIANAPOLIS Downtown Indianapolis business is making a comeback, slowly but surely.
Downtown Indy, Inc. held a large, in-person meeting Thursday to discuss the latest annual report. That meeting took place at the Hilbert Circle Theatre – the first large event at the theatre since last year.
Sherry Seiwert, President of Downtown Indy Inc. tells WISH-TV she believes the report shows signs of progress. Seiwert says even though we were going through a pandemic in 2020, the value of new developments totaled around $413 million.
She believes the success of the NCAA Tournament and several small events have helped boost downtown business.
Seiwert tells WISH-TV,
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