It’s official. After 26 years in business, Tarcisio’s, The Italian Grill, is closed.

The restaurant, established by Tarcisio Miglia in 1987, has long been a popular hangout — a bedrock of the local restaurant scene.

To Randy Wellman, who operated the restaurant for more than two decades, it’s been much more. It’s been home.

Wellman closed the restaurant two weeks ago, with plans to replace the hood over the stove. The job took longer than he thought and he eventually declared it was impossible to re-open.

“It really hurts,” he said. “I’ve got great customers and employees. They’re like my family.”

Wellman said he made sure all of the employees were paid. Even so, “I feel like I’ve let everyone down.”

He has hopes that the restaurant may soon reopen. A few potential buyers have inquired, he said.

“Maybe that will work out and some of my employees will get a job.”

Wellman’s own plans: “Somebody needs to hire me,” he laughed. “I need to get employed.”

Wellman said he and his wife, Deanna, have no intention of leaving the area.

But the day-to-day socializing with customers is over. “My customers were so loyal and so great. I’m going to miss them. I considered them my family.”

“But I’ll bounce back.”

Waiting for a position

Julie Koonz, a server at Tarcisio’s for 13 years, echoed many of Wellman’s comments. “I’m going to the miss the customers quite a bit. We were family with our customers.”

And she loved her fellow workers, too. “We had a perfect crew — everyone got along.”

The closing “turned my world around because it’s been my life for the last 13 years.”

Another server, Sharee Paris, said she’s looking forward to finding a new job, one where she can reconnect with her customers.

While they were at it, both Koonz and Paris made a pitch to anyone who’s hiring, saying they can bring their loyal customers with them. Interested? Write to jjkoonz@msn.com or shareeparis@yahoo.com.

Reach Mark Couhig at mcouhig@sequimgazette.com.