Beloved CT restaurant closes abruptly, a ‘very difficult decision’ leaving them ‘heartbroken’

One Fifty Central restaurant and bar in Bristol is the latest victim of Connecticut staff shortages and soaring costs, announcing their permanent closure through Facebook.

In the parting Facebook post, the restaurant’s owners thank loyal customers and employees who became “like a big extension of our Santorso family,” and they wished there was time to stay open to say proper goodbyes.

The owners could not be reached for comment.

The post says summer is the hardest season for the restaurant business and “it’s normal for finances to be tight, but it usually all works out in the fall and winter.

But the post also says there are persistent staff shortages in the kitchen

“Knowing that the kitchen would be unable to function without a full staff, and having been unable to find any competent employees through this nationwide employee shortage, we knew that we would be unable to open for the foreseeable future without jeopardizing the quality and service our customers deserve,” the social media post states.

That is combined with the overall difficulty in their restaurant business post-COVID, such as food, utility and payroll costs, contributed the closure, the Facebook post states.

“All these things combined have led us to this very difficult decision,” the post states, adding they are “heartbroken” that this is how it ended.

Employers are running into hiring troubles across many industries in Connecticut, with nearly 100,000 openings going unfilled as of last month. Other restaurants in Connecticut have opened this year amid the hiring issues.

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The One Fifty Central restaurant restaurant, described on its website as an American bistro, has been in business for about 10 years.

Customers reacted on Facebook with sadness and fond memories.

One woman wrote in the comments section, “We love your family and will miss seeing everyone tremendously. Thank you for being such a huge part of our family’s celebrations and making us feel so welcome and loved for so many years.”

Another customer wrote, with a sad face emoji,: “It has been so many great years…”

Another customer who thanked the owners for a “wonderful dining experience,” wrote: “You always treated your customers like family. You have a lot to be proud of. Wishing you all the best. You will definitely be missed.”

Another commenter acknowledged the tough times for business, writing, “This makes us so sad. It is so difficult to keep a business moving these days and you all did everything you could to keep it going.”

Connecticut’s COVID-19 emergency ended in May, according to Gov. Ned Lamont. He said at the time that the economy bounced back and economic conditions are improving, though rebounding from the personal impact of the pandemic may take a little longer.