ELLSWORTH, Maine — An iconic Ellsworth eatery is closing its doors for the season less than a month after opening its doors for 2017, leaving uncertainty about its future after 36 years in operation.
The owners of Jordan’s Snack Bar published an advertisement in this week’s Ellsworth American announcing the closure and thanking customers for their support, according to the paper.
The Route 1 business, a popular summer stop for tourists and locals alike, closed in mid April “for an undetermined period” after a death in the family, according to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook account. It had its opening day on March 22.
The ad posted this week in the Ellsworth paper states that the family’s love for the business had been “tested over the last seven years,” after several losses in the family. “It has become too much to carry on the quality and love that we have always tried to serve and give to our customers.”
The business closed for a portion of last June after the death of a longtime employee and family friend, Tim Philpott.
Jordan’s debuted in 1981, and quickly became a local mainstay with regulars who awaited its opening every spring.
It garnered acclaim as recently as 2015 when patrons voted that the eatery was home to the best burger, french fries and lobster rolls in the Downeast region in Bangor Metro’s 2015 “Best Restaurants” contest.
Both in the newspaper ad and in social media postings, the family thanked patrons for their support over the years.
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