California foursome buys Nonna’s

A team with a history in California acquired the restaurant last month. Tim Caldwell, Craig Anderson, Julia Ferrell and Marty Almaraz are equal owners. They’re all from Los Angeles and have known each other for at least 10 years.

Caldwell said he was surprised when Faucett approached him in December about buying Nonna’s Italian American Café, 306 South Ave.

Caldwell worked at Nonna’s years ago but had since made a life for himself acting and teaching theater part time at Missouri State University.

But he never lost touch with Faucett. When she needed temporary help last year, he answered the call.

That’s when Faucett told him she wanted to sell.

“Mary came up to me and said, ‘A little bird tells me you want this place,’” he said.

Caldwell was taken aback. He expected one of Faucett’s five children to inherit Nonna’s.

Turns out, the heirs weren’t interested, and Faucett wanted to focus her attention on her other restaurant, Nonna’s Bambino, at 1141 E. Delmar St.

See SBJ’s June 12 issue for more on the change in ownership at Nonna’s.