It s a fight for identity.
On one side is Napoli s Italian Eatery. The long-established downtown dining spot was to re-open under new ownership as early as last week, but that plan is on hold.
On the other side is a son and his fiancee of the former Napoli s owner. They say the Napoli s name and phone number are theirs and they want to use both for a new restaurant in the northeast area. Napoli s is not a place; it s a who, said Bobbie Alm.
She s engaged to Michael DeChellis, whose father Phil DeChellis owned Napoli s at 221 Market Ave. N until his death in 2016. Father wanted to turn the restaurant over to his son, according his last will and testament.
CANTON The New York-style pizza served for many years by the DeChellis family still is available, but the location has changed.
Michael DeChellis and Bobbie Alm are making the pizzas and other fare in the former Lucia s restaurant building at 1076 O Jays Parkway NE. Pick-up and delivery orders currently are available, and eventually DeCehllis and Alm hope to be open and serving dine-in customers at their yet-to-be-named location.
The plan is to continue the pizza and Italian restaurant launched by Michael s father, Philip J. DeChellis in the late 1980s in Alliance and then Canton. In 1988, Philip DeChellis opened Napoli s Pizza at 300 Cleveland Ave. N and 10 years later relocated to the former Salad Bowl at 221 Market Ave. N.