Brigham’s closes Boston restaurant
By Thomas Grillo | Wednesday, November 11, 2009 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Business & Markets
It’s the ultimate economic meltdown.
Brigham’s Ice Cream on High Street served its last banana split, Buffalo wings and chicken fingers yesterday as the shop closed its doors after decades in Boston’s Financial District.
“It’s horrible,” said longtime waitress Rita Merola as she wiped away tears. “This place has been like a second home to me for 17 years.”
News of the closing spread quickly among longtime customers who dropped in for a last lunch and to say goodbye.
Becky Comeau, an office manager from Peabody who has been dining at Brigham’s for 20 years, said the wait staff was the city’s best. “They know I like my tuna melt with fries and water with lemon,” she said.
Another longtime customer, Sonia Kay of Mansfield, said the staff built a relationship with customers over many years. “When I heard it was closing, I had to come in to say goodbye,” she said.
Cheryl MacKay, an employee at nearby Merrill Lynch, said she held business meetings at Brigham’s twice a week for three years.
“It’s not like a restaurant,” she said. “It’s like going home for a family dinner.”
Donna Weafer, the store’s manager, said the closing has been hard on staff who have given more than 120 years of combined service to Brigham’s.
“This is a very emotional moment for us,” she said. “It’s very sad how the thing was handled. Brigham’s was a great company with a great product and it just seems like it was ruined.”
Luke Cooper, managing director of New England Food Service, which bought the Brigham’s restaurant chain last year, said the store was closed because it was not profitable.
“Unfortunately, when you run a business you have to make tough decisions to assure the survival of its remaining parts,” he said.
The firm still operates 27 Brigham’s eateries in the region. Brigham’s ice cream business was sold separately to HP Hood last year.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1211034
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