Dove + Deer, Rosanna’s in Center Square hit the market

ALBANY – It’s not unusual to encounter a long wait at the bar and kitchen known as Dove + Deer. Located on the corner of Dove and State streets, the upscale restaurant quickly won the praise of the Center Square neighborhood after opening in 2018.

Across the street, under the same ownership, Rosanna’s Italian Kitchen has earned a similarly glowing reputation from hungry customers over its nearly three years of service.

They are among the top rated restaurants in the downtown area. And since Tuesday they are also on the market for new owners.

Located at 293 State St., Dove + Deer’s renovated brownstone home hit the market with an asking price of $1.1 million. The business will be sold with the building for an additional $350,000, said listing agent John Alun of Lincoln House Realty. The property includes four income generating apartments earning $4,275 per month.

Rosanna’s, at 23 Dove St., has a $450,000 price tag for both the business and the historic building, which dates back to 1823. The venue has been a successful bar and restaurant for more than 90 years, according to the listing, and has a Indoor capacity of 65 with additional seating available outside.

Co-owner Brianne Baggetta, who recently bought her family’s business The Mailworks in Albany, said she no longer has the bandwidth to be as involved with the institutions and wants to find new leadership to give them restaurants “the love they deserve”. Her business partner Tim Dillon, who is vice chairman of The Mailworks, and managing partner Jessica Arnold agreed now was the time to sell.

“All of us love this corner so much and it just doesn’t feel right if we can’t be there all the time,” she said. “We want owners who are able to give this love and attention.”

After moving to the Center Square neighborhood with her family in 2016, Baggetta said she decided that if she could see a bar from her bed, she wanted it to be the one she wanted to go to. When she and Dillon started looking for an investment in real estate and learned the Center Square Pub was on the market, they jumped at the chance.

The two teamed up with Arnold and set out to renovate the historic brownstone, originally built in 1854, to curate a cozy setting and cozy atmosphere for patrons to enjoy. Soon after, the owners of Bongiorno’s across the street decided to back out and asked Baggetta and her partners if they would consider buying the property.

The rest was history.

With both businesses recovering significantly from the pandemic, Baggetta said the restaurants offer the perfect turnkey opportunity for another small business owner to take over and continue their success.

“We have great management down there, these businesses are established and they’re prepared for the next person,” she said. “It is important for us that it goes to the right person. I hope they are someone who is as invested in the neighborhood as we are.”

For now, both restaurants located near the capital and other government buildings will continue to operate as usual. Those interested in purchasing the properties can contact the listing agent at [email protected]

“We are very grateful to everyone who has been a part of the development of these places and that is from the staff to the customers,” said Baggetta. “They’re going into their next chapter, and I hope everyone goes with them.”