YEAR IN REVIEW: This article was originally published on January 19.
Thorold resident and local business owner Nick Dell'Omo has passed away at age 62.
Dell'Omo owned Riganelli's Bakery on Ormond St. for more than 20 years, and he also owned Biscotti Cafe on Front St.
The sad news has triggered an outpouring of love and support online from the local business community.
"Nick was one of those people that just showed up and helped out, always with a smile and a few funny lines," writes the Thorold BIA on Facebook. "On the business side of things, Nick understood small businesses very well, as he owned two of them in Thorold. I think we can all agree that a lot of happy memories were created in and because of those two businesses in Thorold."
Dell'Omo was instrumental in helping to revitalize downtown Thorold.
"For us, the BIA specifically, Nick volunteered and held many leadership positions through the years," writes the Thorold BIA. "He certainly left Downtown Thorold better than he found it."
The Chair of the Niagara Board of Trade and Commerce, Mark Kawabe, also shared his condolences on Facebook.
"Friendly, hard-working, generous, Nick was a constant NBOTAC supporter," Kawabe writes. "Some of my fond memories are of our after-hours board meetings at his Biscotti Cafe. He also worked hard for the Thorold BIA, on many fronts, but notably to help bring the classic cars (another one of his passions) to downtown Thorold on summer weekends."
For the past seven years, Dell'Omo also served as the president of Club Capri on Cleveland St.
"He was very devoted and he took pride in Club Capri as president," a representative of the event venue writes on Facebook. "May he rest in peace."
A Funeral Mass for Dell'Omo will be held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 21 Queen Street South, Thorold on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 11:00 AM.
Online condolences and donations can be left here.
