It’s been nearly 5 months since a car crashed through the front door of Mama Leone’s, forcing the popular family-owned restaurant to close for extensive renovations.

Photo from crash on March 25, 2016 | Photo Credit: Melina Abney

While many have questioned on Mama Leone’s Facebook Page whether the restaurant would ever reopen, the restaurant has confirmed that they do plan on reopening.

“We apologize for infrequent updates on Renovations. We were expecting to have been open for business by now but have experienced setbacks. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. The Great news is that we will be reopen(ing). We do not have a specific date but will keep you posted,” the restaurant shared on their Facebook Page on August 20th.

This story will be updated when/if an opening date is announced.

Ryan Belmore is the Owner and Publisher of What'sUpNewp. Although not the founder or original owner, Belmore has been with What'sUpNewp since its early beginnings in 2012.

Belmore was born in Providence, Rhode Island; grew up and graduated high school in Coventry, Rhode Island; and lived in Newport, Rhode Island for more than ten years. He currently serves as Vice President of the Board Of Directors for Fort Adams Trust and on the Board of Directors for Potter League For Animals.

He and his wife, Jen, as well as their two dogs (Aero and June), recently moved to Alexandria, Virginia. Belmore travels back and forth to Newport every couple of weeks to cover events, work on story ideas, to meet with What'sUpNewp's on-the-ground contributors, to visit friends, and to eat as much seafood as possible.

Belmore is a member of Local Independent Online News Publishers, Society of Professional Journalists, and the North American Snowsports Journalists Association.