It has been almost a year since the death of Sisto Malaspina, killed in Melbourne on November 9, 2018 during the terrorist attack in the central Bourke street, but his Pellegrini's Espresso Bar has remained the same.
"Nothing has changed" told SBS Italian Nino Pangrazio, founding partner of the iconic Melbourne bar, co-owned by him and the late Sisto Malaspina.
"Pellegrini's opened in 1954 and it has not stopped since then. Business still works very well. Service, food, staff and customers have been absolutely amazing. They loved and respected Sisto all the time, as they loved and respected Pellegrini's".
But he is preparing to retire soon. Thursday October 31st will be his last day at work.
"It is going to be hard" but "I'm getting a bit old", Nino Pangrazio, 81, said. "I lost my partner twelve months ago. A devastating event for me because we were very close. I miss him every day, we worked well together and we had known each other for a very long time". Long before they started their adventure at Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, he said.
"I need to move on", said Mr Pangrazio, who will focus on volunteering for the Rebels Rugby team in Melbourne, he was one of the founder members, but also for the Salvation Army and Prahran Mission.
What will happen now?
The family of Sisto Malaspina will take over the shop.
"I am sure that they will keep it as the same as it has being going for the last 45 years with Sisto and myself", Mr Pangrazio said.
Nino Pangrazio was born in 1938 in Melbourne to an Italian father, who migrated to Australia in 1926, and an English mother, who came down under in 1911.
In the following years, the Pellegrini brothers, who founded the iconic Melbourne bar in 1954, became friends of Pangrazio's family: "When they offered to me the bar, I immediately called Sisto and I said: 'I'm buying Pellegrini's, do you want to come in as a partner?' and what followsis history".
Less than two wees after Nino Pancrazio's retirement, on the 9th of November 2019, it will be the anniversary of the death of Sisto Malaspina, the only victim of the Bourke Street terror attack
Sisto Malaspina will be remembered with a dinner at the Calabria Club of Bulla, north east of Melbourne, an event organized by Lucia D'Amico, who has been working in the kitchen of Pellegrini's Espresso Bar for twenty years.
There will be a dinner, music and a lottery, and the funds raised will be donated to Save The Children and The Salvation Army, two organizations that Sisto has always supported, explains Lucia.
"It will be a great evening in which we will remember Sisto. A beautiful evening dedicated to him, because he loved to have fun. Sisto loved music, the people, his customers, he loved them all. In particular the homeless people. 'Lucia' he always said to me, 'make some food for these people!', and until we are here we'll continue to follow in his footsteps ".
