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A high-profile Main Street building across from City Hall will be home to a new market offering prepared foods, baked goods and fresh flowers.

Dean LaSasso is the owner of the business, which will be called “Dino’s on Main.” A February opening is planned, he said.

LaSasso has signed a lease for the location, and he’s currently painting the exterior and will put up a new awning. A new sign should be up by the end of the week, he said.

The building was last used as an office furniture store. For decades before that, the location housed a business that sold pianos, which were prominently displayed in its large first and second story windows.

“It will be a market with Italian specialties, prepared foods and catering for small parties,” said LaSasso. “It will be pasta, baked goods, fresh flowers. A little bit of everything.”

Selecting the Main Street location was no accident, LaSasso said.

“I purposely chose Main Street,” he said. “It’s time that we started moving onto Main Street. This is an important street and we need to start revitalizing that. If you want the town to be whole and healthy, then Main Street is important.”

LaSasso has allergies to some preservatives, and that has made him committed to preparing “very wholesome foods, as least processed as possible,” he said.

The kitchen is currently being configured and Sasso will install a wood-burning oven for breads and pizzas. The plan for now is to use the 2,000-square-foot first floor. If the business grows, there is a second floor that can be utilized.

LaSasso is an Asbury Park resident who’s lived here for five years with his partner Steven Cancellieri.

Meanwhile, another new market offering prepared foods has opened on Cookman Avenue. Called the “Speakeatery”, it took over the former location of Plan B restaurant. The Speakeatery is located next to the new ShowRoom cinema, and is owned by Andrew Vermilyea.

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