Long-lived independent restaurants keep shutting their doors

After 46 years in Chicago, Lawry’s The Prime Rib will shutter its baroque dining room at the end of December, the restaurant announced late last month.

“In a year of incredible turmoil, this is not a decision we take lightly however, with our industry in flux, we feel we have to pause in hopes that someday we can have a future in Chicago,” the restaurant posted on social media.

Pacific Northwest seafood chain Ivar’s has closed its iconic Seattle restaurants Ivar’s Acres of Clams and Salmon House. The company said it intends to re-open the restaurants next spring, at the earliest. Acres of Clam’s is Ivar’s 74-year-old flagship restaurant. Ivar’s also operates a number of fast-casual locations.

“Without cruise passengers, conventions, tourists, banquets, Sounders, Seahawks, and Mariner fans, and workers in the downtown offices, there are few people eating in our full-service restaurants,” owner Bob Donegan told Eater Seattle. “We fear when the weather changes and the rains return, we lose outside dining and we won’t have any customers.”

Soul food restaurant Martha Lou’s Kitchen operated out of its pale pink building for 37 years. But that building has been sold and is now slated for demolition, according to local media reports. The restaurant’s proprietor, Martha Lou Gadsden, is 90 and, according to her granddaughter, is “going to miss doing business.”

Southport Lanes, a bowling alley, tavern and restaurant in Chicago, shut its doors for good late last month after 98 years in business.

The bowling alley has been unable to reopen because of the coronavirus and food and beverage sales were down 75% year over year, owner Steve Soble told Block Club Chicago.

After 57 years in Charlotte, N.C., Bill Spoon’s BBQ said last month that it could no longer stay in business due to COVID.

“It was an emotional day, to say the least,” the restaurant’s owner, the grandson of the founder, shared on Facebook. “We are utterly heartbroken. We stayed until after 8p.m. last night, reminiscing of the memories we’ve made within the 4 walls of this building. I’m not going to lie, we all broke down in tears.”

After more than 55 years, Reno’s Family Restaurant shut its doors late last month.

“It has been an amazing 55 years in the dough with over 2 million pizzas made,” the restaurant posted on Facebook. “Please continue to support your local small businesses. We are forever grateful.”

The post was shared nearly 2,000 times and received almost 300 comments from former customers.