Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Head waitress Judy Stoltenow, left, and owner Rita Mondus will be back when Anello’s Torch Lite rises from the ashes.
Contributed Photo The new restaurant’s layout shows a dining room with seating for 150, plus an expanded bar and a new outdoor patio.
Anello’s Torch Lite is ready to make history again.
Owners of the landmark Shawano restaurant destroyed by fire last December have disclosed plans to build a new supper club that will be modernized and slightly larger, costing more than $1 million.
“It’s going to be new, it’s going to be fresh, and it’s going to be exciting,” owner Rita Mondus said.
The old restaurant, which dated back to the 19th century, burned to the ground Dec. 30 in a fire that investigators believe was caused by equipment failure in the building’s basement.
Ever since that tragic night, former employees and loyal customers have been wondering if the historic business would rise from the ashes.
Longtime head waitress Judy Stoltenow, who will be back on the job in the new restaurant, is among those celebrating the Torch Lite’s return.
“I’m very, very glad,” Stoltenow said. “It was like my second home.”
Mondus plans to start construction next month on a supper club that will have a comparable-sized dining room, with seating for 150, along with a larger bar and a new outdoor patio. It will be built adjacent to the former site, which will be paved and turned into a parking lot.
Slated for a grand opening in December, the new place might have a slightly modified name, such as The Torch or The Flame.
Regular customers will recognize other familiar features, including favorite menu items, an outdoor petting zoo and an armor-suited “tin man” mascot that was salvaged from the fire. The restaurant also was known for its fish fry, prime rib and pasta dishes, among others.
Mondus and her husband, John, said they are aiming to satisfy the community’s appetite for Torch Lite nostalgia, while offering a whole new dining experience that is updated and upgraded.
“This is going to be bigger and better than it was before,” John Mondus said.
Built in 1897 at 1276 E. Green Bay St., the restaurant originally was known as the Continental. During the Roaring ’20s, it is reputed to have been a hangout for gangsters Al Capone and John Dillinger. It later operated as the Bavarian Inn. Rita Mondus acquired it in 1981 and renamed it Anello’s Torch Lite.
For decades, it was a beloved dining spot among folks in and around Shawano.
“Nothing compares to that place,” said regular customer Patti Peters, who along with her husband, Bill, was a particular fan of the calamari appetizer and Brandy Old Fashioned cocktail.
The good times ended in the early morning hours of Dec. 30 when fire broke out shortly after closing time on a Monday night. Firefighters battled the blaze in frigid weather conditions, but the structure was a complete loss.
Mondus said she and her husband, both in their 60s, anguished for months about whether to rebuild on the 9-acre complex, which also includes their home. Ultimately, they decided to invest their fire insurance settlement, along with a personal investment, in a rebuilding plan that Mondus estimated at $1.2 million.
After more than 30 years at the Torch Lite, Mondus said she missed the people and the business too much to walk away. With the indecision behind her, she looks forward to watching the new restaurant come to life.
“Finally we said, ‘We’re just going to do it,’” she said. “Now that I know it’s coming, now I’m excited.”